The Fairest of All
by Kinky-Hoe
Summary: AU. "You, Your Holiness, are fair, but I see lips as red as blood and hair as black as night," the voice repeated. "Kagome, with the seven mercenaries, is a thousand times fairer than you," the voice concluded. "Find me someone who doesn't fear the dark forest to hunt her down," Kikyo demanded. This is Snow White, the psychological thriller version. IY/K.
1. Part One

**Blanket disclaimer:** _InuYasha_ is copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise and Viz. I make no profit from this story.

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Please note that this story takes place in an alternate reality, where Tokyo is not Tokyo, the main war takes place between humans and demons and so the modern era isn't so modern. Therefore, characters may seem or be out of character (OOC) though I try to keep them in character.

**Warnings (mainly for the upcoming chapters): abuse, blood/gore, cannibalism, character death, dubious consent, explicit sex, implied pedophilia, graphic violence, molestation, slavery.**

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**The Fairest of All**

**Part I**

_Once upon a time in midwinter, when the snowflakes were falling like feathers from heaven_, a young housewife sat by the window. She quietly enjoyed the sounds that were coming from outside as she was busy sewing the green kimono skirt she was making for her eight-year-old daughter. From her spot, Kun-Loon could see her little girl playing with the snow and pretending unnamed creatures that meant no harm were following her. Gurgling sounds startled her and pain shot through her left index finger as the needle punctured her skin. She brought her finger to her lips and licked it, and then proceeded to gently brush her knuckles against her one-year-old son's cheek. The baby was peacefully resting in the cradle by her side. Kun-Loon was now a single mother and the truth was that she could never convince herself that she was able to get through life without her husband. But she had to; her father-in-law was ill and her children depended on her.

Kun-Loon winced when the blood wouldn't stop pouring. The red color clashed with the paleness of her skin and she sighed; looking outside the window, she wondered if the sun would someday shine through the thick clouds that permanently covered the sky.

"Mama!" her firstborn called upon entering the small cabin. "Mama, are you hurt?"

"No, Kagome," Kun-Loon reassured the girl. "My, your lips are chapped and turning violet. There is hot tea by the fire and put some balm on that pretty pout of yours."

The eight-year-old girl obeyed her mother after she removed her boots. She poured some green tea for her to drink, and then grabbed the small shell that contained the lip balm her mother mixed for her. Kagome opened the seashell and smiled as the lovely smell of berries filled her nostrils. She gathered some balm on her ring finger then applied it all over her lips. The child then sauntered to her mother and hugged her knees.

"Mama, give me a kiss now."

Kun-Loon stared down at the heart-shaped face of her daughter. Raven locks partially covered her soft brown eyes, both colors contrasting her pale skin. Kagome's skin was even paler than hers, Kun-Loon noted. Tiny and pouty lips were red and rosy.

Tears threatened to spill from the housewife's eyes. Kagome was born an unlucky girl, she realized. Kun-Loon wondered whether the name she picked held a mysterious curse. How could a beautiful and bubbly girl born in a world of endless violence survive with no one strong enough to watch over her forever?

"Mama, why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying sweetie. Sota is, though," Kun-Loon pointed out as the baby by her side asked for food.

"Are too!" Kagome insisted, a frown marking her features.

"Kagome, I want you to promise me that you will always try and be safe. Even when you are all grown up, don't fly too far away, my little bird."

The eight-year-old girl crossed her arms over her small chest and huffed. "But Mama," she protested, "Papa always told me not to feel trapped in a birdcage."

Kun-Loon would have cupped her daughter's cheek had she not been busy holding Sota's head as she breastfed him. Sighing, she agreed, "Well, that, too."

* * *

_Eight Years Ago_

Light footsteps echoed through the hallway of the largest post-Buddhist mausoleum known to man on the top of the White Spirit Mountain. A very short girl dressed in white and wearing summer sandals in the middle of winter carried a mirror. Young apprentice monks escorted her to the main room of the mausoleum without uttering a word. Surely this girl couldn't be a demon; the monks couldn't detect any kind of demonic aura and the barrier that surrounded the mountain didn't affect her at all.

The room was decorated with gold. On the walls were painted the battles that took place between humans and demons all over the centuries. Traditional Buddhist items such as bells and chalices added to the scene and reminded everyone of the Living Buddha's spiritual power. Said Living Buddha was sitting behind the throne in the middle of the room, a magical barrier protecting his mummified body. On each side of the throne, powerful monks and priestesses bowed to Saint Hakushin, the Living Buddha, and his rightful successor, Saint Hijiri.

Saint Hijiri was the most powerful high priestess of the Kanto region. She was born a priestess and raised as such since it was discovered that she had been blessed with spiritual powers that could help eradicate the entire demon race. She was forced to leave her little sister, Kaede, at a young age and now Saint Hijiri was the leader of the war against demons. She knew Kaede had married a young man at the age of sixteen and that her only daughter, Kun-Loon, recently gave birth to a little girl. Saint Hijiri asked the monks and priestesses of the Supreme Council to keep themselves informed on Kaede's descendants, for Kaede died in childbirth.

Saint Hijiri sat on the throne that was placed a few steps below the Living Buddha, her body covered in white cloth from head to toe. White socks kept her feet warm and silver gloves reshaped her hands. A veil also hid her face, making it impossible for anyone to know what Saint Hijiri looked like. All they knew was that Saint Hijiri was a woman and that she had to have been around fifty years old.

"Your Holiness," one of the two monks that accompanied the short girl greeted, bowing his head. "An unknown girl climbed the mountain to speak with you."

Saint Hijiri raised her hand and the two rows of holy people looked up before they acknowledged, "Praise to the Living Buddha."

The girl walked up to the high priestess before kneeling down and raising the mirror between her hands. Her hair was as white as her traditional kimono but her eyes were so black, it was as if she had no pupils. "Priestess Kikyo," she quietly greeted.

"Show some respect!" the apprentice monk to her right roared, his indigo eyes flashing.

"Young monk Miroku," the high priestess addressed the teenager before her, "let her speak already."

The apprentice nodded and took a couple steps back.

"Priestess Kikyo," the girl repeated. "I come on behalf of Priestess Tsubaki of Mount Azusa."

There were whispers among the Supreme Council members. Saint Hijiri ignored the fact that the albino girl wasn't familiar with post-Buddhist honorifics. The high priestess that lived on top of Mount Azusa was an old acquaintance of hers. Both Saint Hijiri and High Priestess Tsubaki trained together to slay all demons on the territory of the archipelago but eventually, the Supreme Council had a choice to make and High Priestess Tsubaki had to attend the second mausoleum of the Kanto region on top of Mount Azusa.

Saint Hijiri wasn't sure why the woman who considered herself as her rival would send an unknown girl to speak on her behalf.

"Surely this girl is a demon!" the young monk named Miroku roared again.

"High Priest Mushin," Saint Hijiri called out to one of the monks standing on the right side of the throne. "I see that your apprentice likes to talk."

"Miroku," the balding fat man named Mushin warned the teenager, glaring at him under his thick eyebrows.

"What is your name?" Saint Hijiri asked the albino girl. "And what does High Priestess Tsubaki wanted you to come all the way up here for?"

"Kanna is my name." The albino girl stood up even though Saint Hijiri didn't allow her to. "Priestess Tsubaki sends her regards and accepts Your Holiness' position as leader of the human world. Please, accept this mirror as a gift from Priestess Tsubaki."

The Supreme Council members started whispering again and one of them suddenly exclaimed, "Your Holiness, we should first examine—"

"No, High Priest Ungai," Saint Hijiri interrupted him before he was finished. "If we were to _examine_ this gift, we would be presuming that High Priestess Tsubaki's intentions aren't holy. I won't doubt her feelings and let's not forget that Kanna here climbed the mountain to fulfill the high priestess' wishes."

"A child who climbs the White Spirit Mountain with only a mirror and no supplies?" the young monk named Miroku muttered under his breath, which earned him another glare from his mentor, Mushin.

"Priestess Kikyo," Kanna spoke again. "Please, remember that this mirror will always tell you the truth."

Saint Hijiri's eyes narrowed.

Kanna was soon dismissed, as well as the Supreme Council, and Saint Hijiri found a sense of intimacy in the large bedroom located in the basement of the mausoleum. She slowly removed her veil, only to reveal a wrinkled face that blunt bangs framed. She then proceeded to remove each layer of white cloth that covered her head and the curves of her body. Her hair almost grazed the floor. With trembling hands, Saint Hijiri placed Kanna's mirror on an empty bookshelf. It had been a long time since she last checked herself in a mirror.

It had been thirty years.

Deep brown eyes gazed back at her—back at Kikyo. Lines had formed around her lips. Sunken cheeks, tired eyes and sagging breasts—she was old and no longer the beauty that every woman envied. She had failed. For the past thirty years, she had been looking for a solution that would have helped her slow down the aging process so that she could have reunited with her one, true love. She had failed.

Reaching in the top drawer of her nightstand, Kikyo grabbed a small seashell that contained the rouge her past admirer once offered her. She applied a tiny amount on her lips, and then looked back in the mirror. She laughed quietly at herself.

"_Mirror, mirror, on the wall… Who in this land is fairest of all?_" she whispered to herself, ready to cover Kanna's mirror in order to forget her ugliness.

"You, Your Holiness, are fairest," a deep, masculine voice that came from the mirror answered. "No one ever surpassed you over the years," the voice added.

Kikyo's eyes widened in shock; gone was her reflection in the mirror. Darkness replaced it, a pair of ruby eyes staring at her naked form.

"_Mirror, mirror, on the wall,_" Kikyo repeated, befuddled. She wetted her lips before asking, "how to remain the fairest?"

* * *

"Mama!" eight-year-old Kagome called and called again when her mother wouldn't move from her spot.

Kun-Loon was lying on the floor, a thin blanket covering her form, as she both coughed and tried to keep her one-year-old son warm. "Kagome, here you are," the woman whispered, relief filling her voice.

"I brought the ingredients to make some hot soup," the child said, combing her mother's short, brown hair.

Kun-Loon couldn't hold back the tears anymore. As her son's body slowly turned cold, her trembling hands held her daughter's. The weather got colder every day and Kagome already witnessed her grandfather's death a couple weeks ago.

"Mama?"

"Listen to me, Kagome. You need to get away from here—from this illness. Walk through the forest surrounding the cabin. Head north. You will find the villagers living in the shadow of Mount Azusa." Kun-Loon paused to cough. "Then," she croaked out, "hop on the first cart headed to the White Spirit Mountain. Your grandaunt lives on top of that mountain…"

"But Mama, what about you?" the little girl cried out as her mother wouldn't stop sobbing.

"Just go, Kagome," Kun-Loon whispered before she closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing. "Try and be safe."

_Try and be safe,_ her mother's words echoed through her brain during the journey to the White Spirit Mountain.

On the road to the sacred mountain, Kagome kept wiping her tears and nose. She was old enough to understand that her mother and brother would never follow her to her grandaunt's place, as they both fell ill the way her grandfather did before he passed away, but still too young to process their upcoming deaths. The material of her clothes wasn't thick enough to keep her warm and the farmer who was bringing supplies to the Supreme Council had no blanket for her so Kagome found a spot between two large rice bags that shielded her from the icy wind.

She had been surprised when she didn't see corpses and feasting demons on their way to the White Spirit Mountain. Her grandfather used to tell her scary stories on the war that caused the death of her father. The farmer explained that with the sacred barrier only a couple hours away, the village was safe and so were its inhabitants. Corpses and feasting demons could be found mainly in the Kyushu region, where dog demons fought panther demons when they weren't attacking villages and principalities.

"Rikichi," the girl spoke again, fighting the boredom and sadness that threatened to consume her by keeping the conversation going, "what is Saint Hijiri like? Does she cook fried fish?"

The dark-haired man barked out a laugh. "Saint Hijiri fasts a lot, little one. It's part of her duties."

Kagome frowned, unable to understand how someone could willingly refuse to eat. "Is she kind?"

The farmer bit his lip, focusing on the horse that dragged the cart up the mountain. "I guess she's supposed to."

"Is she kind or is she not?" the eight-year-old asked again.

Rikichi's eyes softened. "Of course she is, Kagome," he reassured her. "And if you hear rumors about Saint Hijiri, remember they're just that: rumors."

"What kind of rumors?"

Rikichi never answered that question. The girl had already lost her parents and her brother; she didn't need to know that her grandaunt was suspected of witchcraft.

* * *

"What is your name, young lady?" Saint Hijiri asked the noblewoman kneeling in front of her. They were alone in the main room of the mausoleum since she had long dismissed the Supreme Council members.

The longhaired woman answered, "Tsuyu of Kai, Your Holiness."

"I heard your husband was killed by some toad demon, Princess Tsuyu."

The young widow nodded, wiping nonexistent tears.

"Such despair," Saint Hijiri, whispered in the princess' ear, motioning her to stand. "But I have the cure for what ails you."

In the blink of an eye, Kanna's mirror was placed in front of the princess. The young woman let out a deafening cry that was heard by every person in the mausoleum. Her jaw dropped and her eyes rolled in the back of her head as thick fog spilled from her lips and nostrils. Both the mirror and Kikyo fed off of it; it was only a matter of seconds before the thin corpse of Princess Tsuyu dropped to the floor. Kikyo removed the veil from her face and watched as her chicken paws disappeared.

Kikyo's eyes glinted maliciously and didn't notice the red eyes fixed on her figure as she glanced back to the remains of Princess Tsuyu.

"You had pretty eyes, Tsuyu of Kai," Saint Hijiri told no one in particular, using the veil she previously discarded to cover her face again. "What should I do about my lungs, though? I swear climbing those steps kills me every time," she went on, eying the endless staircase that led to the main room.

When Saint Hijiri remerged from her private room, she didn't expect the young monk Miroku to hold the hand of a young child that looked a lot like she and her younger sister did years and years ago.

"Your Holiness," Miroku spoke, "this little girl, Kagome, claims to be your—"

"Auntie!" the doe-eyed girl called out, running up to Saint Hijiri with her arms extended.

The high priestess instantly reached out, unaware of the fact that she had forgotten to put her silver gloves on. When Miroku eyed her slender fingers, she instantly withdrew her hand, a small gesture that halted Kagome.

* * *

Kikyo placed down the long chopsticks when she finished her dinner. Her bowl was empty and her plate bloody. She could properly breathe again.

"You were a healthy one, Tsuyu of Kai," she murmured, looking at the saucepan by the fireplace.

The high priestess went through her bed routine slowly and kept staring at her reflection. Soon, her body would be completely restored, she figured.

"_Mirror, mirror, on the wall… Who in this land is fairest of all?_"

"You, Your Holiness, are fairest," the deep voice she found comfort in answered, "but there is another, within these walls, destined to surpass you."

Kikyo's eyes flashed. "Who is it?" she asked in a menacing tone, her lips still red from her meal and set in a thin line.

Never had the mirror given her a different answer in eight years.

"Kagome will grow into a woman of incredible beauty. Her hair will be longer than yours and wavy, her eyes will be softer and rounder than yours and her lips won't need the human blood to look red.

"Your Holiness' spiritual powers will also be put to shame; what you mastered over the past decades Kagome will in less than a year.

"Kagome is destined to become the fairest of all human creatures and as such, she will also conquer the heart of the person Your Holiness desires the most."

The following day, the high priestess of the White Spirit Mountain summoned the chieftain of the Demon Slayer village, Masahiko. The middle-aged man was known for his self-control and fighting prowess and though he was also a father, he never grew softer. He also knew an order when he heard one, thus when Saint Hijiri commanded he took her grandniece to the Forest of No Return, he didn't ask a single question, although the Forest of No Return was infested with moth demons that obeyed to the latest Lord Hyoga, Menomaru.

The brown-haired fighter still scratched his beard when the small girl took his hand hesitantly. For a brief moment, Saint Hijiri's heart clenched and she kneeled to stare into the brown eyes of her grandniece that was feeling lost and insecure. The high priestess held her close for what felt like hours. When she pulled back, she felt the remaining pieces of her soul shatter to the ground.

The chieftain led the girl to the Forest of No Return, a mask partially covering his face and preventing him from inhaling the moth demon poison that permeated the air. A young monk with indigo eyes had told him that the little girl was quite the talkative one but Kagome hadn't uttered a single word ever since they left the White Spirit Mountain. It was only a matter of seconds before the child lost her senses and Masahiko returned to his family with no regrets.

* * *

It was the heavy smell of blood and the acidic taste in her mouth that woke her up.

"There, there," a masculine voice reached her ears as a large hand rubbed her back.

Kagome noticed she was wearing a mask now and she looked up to the man that was obviously taking care of her in the middle of nowhere. He seemed to be quite young. Brown hair grazed his shoulders and bangs fell over his grey eyes. His face was gentle and he cradled her in his arms as if to shield her from whatever battle was taking place behind them. He was wearing rather unconventional clothes, the little girl noted, for never before had she seen such attire that was really a buttoned jacket and slack pants.

"Hey, Suikotsu," someone else with a high-pitched yet still masculine voice called out to the grey-eyed man, "when you're done playing doctor with that brat, maybe you can help us get rid of those moth bitches here," the effeminate man scolded, all the while pointing at two female moth demons who were ready to attack them.

Kagome tried to catch a glimpse of what was going on but Suikotsu quickly covered her eyes. Before he did that though, she was able to see the way the man wearing a pale kimono skirt swung his sword, which zigzagged back and forth and cut the demons' bodies in several pieces.

"Well, another job well-done by the Band of Seven," a third, sadistic voice added before Kagome's mind went black.

* * *

Ten summers and ten winters had passed since Saint Hijiri asked the chieftain of the Demon Slayer village to lead her grandniece to the forest that should have claimed her life. Every day life in the Kanto region had degraded to the point that unknown illnesses killed more humans than demons did. The dog demon clan and the panther demon clan managed to move from the Kyushu region and establish themselves in the Kanto region, making it impossible for the average monks and priestesses to shield their respective villages from demonic auras and violent attacks.

The villagers living at the foot of the White Spirit Mountain weren't spared. The magical barrier that kept demons away was weak since Saint Hijiri's kind nature had slowly transformed into some careless behavior. It was common to see soul collectors gather at the top of the mountain.

Ten summers and ten winters had passed since Kikyo last summoned the mysterious, red-eyed spirit living inside Kanna's mirror so in order to restore her beauty, she often misplaced the sacred items that kept the barrier elevated. That way, the dead soul insects could bring her the souls of stunning women deceased at a young age.

Saint Hijiri was feared within the Supreme Council; no longer did they respect her. They knew she was purposely letting demons in. She also stopped fasting three times a week and refused to pay homage to the Living Buddha. The few members that had dared to question her authority had been sent back to their home villages. There were only four remaining members within the Council: High Priestess Hitomiko, High Priest Ungai, High Priest Miroku and High Priestess Momiji, who recently left Mount Azusa and her mentor, High Priestess Tsubaki. Saint Hijiri often said only four members were really needed to represent the power of the Four Souls. The truth was that she distorted the post-Buddhist religion based on Priestess Midoriko's prowess so that she wouldn't have to leave the sacred mountain.

Kikyo fell to her knees one day while pulling the blanket that covered Kanna's mirror. The souls of the dead weren't enough anymore; her skin was aging again and she felt weaker each passing day.

"_Mirror, mirror, on the wall… Who in this land is fairest of all?_" she croaked out, her heart racing and her mind reeling upon seeing her reflection. Hearing the voice inside the mirror was a drug addiction she had tried to recover from.

Red eyes flashed for a split second. "You, Your Holiness, are fair," the masculine voice answered. "But I see _lips as red as blood and hair as black as night_," the spirit added. "Kagome, with the seven mercenaries, _is a thousand times fairer than you_," the voice concluded.

Kikyo's breath hitched in her throat. Her orbs dried, the veins in her eyes showing as a deep growl that put all dog demons to shame filled the room. Rising to stand at her full height, Kikyo covered her body carefully before she went upstairs and into the main room of the mausoleum. She only had one request: execute the chieftain of the Demon Slayer village and summon his rightful heir.

Three days later, a young female slayer clad in a tight, black and magenta uniform, was escorted to the mausoleum on top of the White Spirit Mountain. Sango was her name. As she kneeled before Saint Hijiri, she showed no rancor for the execution of her father. He failed to comply with the law, or so she had been told.

"In the name of the Four Souls, Your Holiness, I am here to comply with your wishes," the slayer spoke. "Praise to the Living Buddha."

"You may now stand, young Sango," the Living Buddha's successor told her. "I asked you to come here because I need you and your team to exterminate the Band of Seven, the group of mercenaries that refuses to obey the Supreme Law. They live in the Forest of No Return, as you must already know."

Sango was taken aback. Glancing quickly at the high priests to her right, she slowly responded, "Your Holiness, the demon slayers are just that; _demon_ slayers. We do not hunt humans down, whether they are mercenaries or common villagers."

Saint Hijiri chuckled and tension filled the room. "Sango, those mercenaries took my grandniece as their slave. You shall bring her back to me."

High Priest Ungai and High Priest Miroku exchanged a look, as they recalled Saint Hijiri sending the little girl back even though her parents were dead.

"Please, in the name of the Four Souls, forgive me, Your Holiness. The law of the Demon Slayer village is strict; human lives be spared. I cannot bring the mercenaries down. Besides," she tried to explain, "leading the demon slayers through the Forest of No Return only means death."

Silence filled the room. Saint Hijiri stood still, which caused the slayer to feel nervous beyond level.

"Execute her," was the final order given by Saint Hijiri to the mausoleum guards.

* * *

"_Mirror, mirror, on the wall… Who in this land is fairest of all?_" Saint Hijiri asked the day that followed the demon slayer's imprisonment, a part of her hoping that the answer had changed in the meantime.

"You, Your Holiness, are fair, but I see _lips as red as blood and hair as black as night_," the voice repeated. "Kagome, with the seven mercenaries, _is a thousand times fairer than you_."

"_Find me someone who doesn't fear the dark forest to hunt her down_," Kikyo demanded.

Kanna's mirror turned black and red eyes stared back at Kikyo for a couple minutes before the mirror reflected the Sacred Tree and the creature pinned to it.

The high priestess' eyes widened. She wanted to laugh as she brought her wrinkled hands to her face. Her fingers traced the lines around her mouth. She would need to summon the dead soul insects again.

On a rare sunny day, the Supreme Council members were discussing the fact that the dog demon leader, Inu no Taisho, and his firstborn, Sesshomaru, were a serious threat. High Priest Ungai suggested they hire the group of traveling monks he used to train but High Priestess Hitomiko deemed it foolish; the dog demon clan had an army. How foolish and pathetic would it be to send a couple monks to fight them all?

The door that led to Saint Hijiri's private room suddenly opened and the Supreme Council members stood up immediately.

"We unseal the Dog General's son," was Saint Hijiri's decision. "The only reason they haven't attacked us yet is because we have his half-breed of a son here in Kanto. Inu no Taisho has a soft spot for anything human-related," she went on, "and I have a bone to pick with Inuyasha." Saint Hijiri laughed at her own pun before she requested High Priest Miroku went with her.

* * *

The indigo-eyed priest didn't know what Saint Hijiri's true motives were. She led him through the forest where the Sacred Tree stood tall. The ponytail that disciplined his black hair at the nape of his neck was long gone; they had been traveling for days and even his staff felt way too heavy. It was a wonder how Saint Hijiri managed to walk without resting. She never asked for food and drank water on rare occasions.

Why was she so eager to get to the Sacred Tree? If memory served, his predecessor, Mushin, once told him that Saint Hijiri was the one to seal Inu no Taisho's son to the Sacred Tree back when she was only a local priestess.

As they reached their destination, Miroku fell to his knees before sitting back on his haunches. He was exhausted and the sight of the half-demon before him was surreal. For all he knew, the Dog General's son was over two hundred years old, yet he looked like a boy in his late teens. Was the Sacred Tree really able to freeze time or was it because of Inuyasha's demon blood?

Saint Hijiri walked up to Inuyasha. With one swift move, she removed the arrow that pinned him to the tree, breaking the spell by doing so. She then took several steps back. Miroku took in the way she didn't hesitate through the whole process.

The birds that were perched on the branches of the Sacred Tree suddenly flew away. Miroku's eyes widened disproportionally. There was a cracking sound—the half-demon flexed his claws.

"I smell it," the half-demon rasped out, "the blood of the woman who killed me."

"Why, hello, Inuyasha," Saint Hijiri finally spoke in a sugary voice that sent shivers down Miroku's spine. "It's been decades."

The dog demon was on his feet in a heart beat, claws clenching and ready to pounce but he knew better; the woman in front of him was wearing the robes of sanctity so she was probably surrounded by an invisible barrier. Yes, time had definitely passed, he figured out.

"You unsealed me, bitch," he spat, "but something tells me this wasn't a friendly act."

The woman clapped her hands slowly before she lifted the veil from her face, causing the half-demon to let out a loud gasp.

"Ki-Kikyo," he breathed out, "you… found it," he concluded. It had been decades, or so she had said, and she was still the attractive woman she once was.

At that point, Miroku was more than just intrigued. The half-demon spoke to Saint Hijiri as if they were old acquaintances but befriending a demon sure was against the Supreme Law. And what was up with Saint Hijiri's face? Miroku tried to move from his spot but as soon as the fallen leaves creaked under his feet, his leader lifted her glowed hand.

"I suggest you don't move, High Priest Miroku."

She walked closer to the demon, and then said, "I haven't, you fool." _Can't you sense the demonic aura the dead soul insects injected me with?_ She refrained from asking him since a member of the Supreme Council was with her. "I am freeing you," she told him plainly, "but your freedom depends solely on your faithfulness," Kikyo stated.

Inuyasha scoffed. "I beg your pardon, Your Holiness?"

Deep brown eyes took in his appearance for the first time after several years: fair skin that still looked smooth, dark eyebrows framing his amber eyes and long, silver hair cascading down his back. He looked so human it was a shame the fangs, claws and dog-ears gave away his demonic nature.

"You will run through the Forest of No Return, find the brotherhood that won't obey their saints and princes.

"There, you will find the fairest woman in this land with _lips as red as blood and hair as black as night_.

"Remember this, Inuyasha: all I need is for her to be alive by the time you bring her to me."

The true meaning of her words wasn't lost to the half-demon. Inuyasha bared his fangs. "_If I refuse?_"

The high priestess slowly removed her silver gloves. Inuyasha hesitated for a moment—what was she doing?

Miroku gasped, still glued to his spot. How could an old woman have such slender and smooth-looking hands? Did Saint Hijiri really practice witchcraft along with letting demons in?

Kikyo came closer to Inuyasha, her right hand hovering over his left cheek. She reveled in the warmth his skin emanated, the way his half-lidded eyes stared down at her. She genuinely smiled at him; she knew he still felt compelled to please her and that the unresolved tension between them was back tenfold.

So she grabbed his shoulders and let the deathly touch pull at his heart. Electricity surrounded them as her purification powers threatened to annihilate his demonic side with pain and torment.

Inuyasha cried out; Miroku crawled back. Then, she stopped.

"You'll die," was her response.

* * *

**Author's notes:** This chapter borrowed quotes from both _Little Snow-White_ by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm (1812) and the 2012 movie _Snow White and the Huntsman_.

I decided to use the literal translation of Mount Hakurei (White Spirit Mountain).

And yes, as always I'm not using OCs.

In case you forgot or didn't know, Kagome means birdcage and Saint Hijiri was Kikyo's alias when she was rotting in a waterfall and sending two shikigami to find Kagome.

So, it is October and Halloween is on its way! I figured I'd bring you some Halloween story :) But this is only a three-part story. I hope you like this otherworld! Beware; the rating is going up starting next chapter. In the meantime, please review!


	2. Part Two

**Warning: dark, heavy content ahead. If you cannot stomach it, then please don't read.**

* * *

**The Fairest of All**

**Part II**

It had taken ten springs for Kagome to blossom into the finest flower of the Forest of No Return. In an era where the sky was always cloudy and grey, the brightest color was the one that tinted the girl's pale cheeks. Only on rare occasions was Kagome exposed to the few sunrays that streamed through gaps in clouds. She sometimes cut the split ends of her hair but her dark, midnight mane was long and wavy strands fell down her back.

"Kagome, we will be back soon," a tall, brown-haired man with gentle eyes told her before he disappeared behind the trees, following his six brothers.

Chocolate orbs lit up. She would wait for their return, like she always did. Kagome reached for a small seashell container in her pocket. The sweet scent of berries filled her nostrils as she applied her homemade balm. It was a scent she always found comfort in, though she couldn't explain why.

Ten springs had passed since Kagome started living under the same roof as the Band of Seven, the brotherhood of mercenaries that saved her life as they slayed two moth demons that dared approach their home.

Growing up, Kagome realized that they walked a little further each day and that they no longer needed masks to prevent themselves from breathing in moth demon poison, as if the air was slowly being purified. The mercenaries often said it was because they had taken her in but she doubted it, though she would never say it out loud. She respected the seven of them because they were her family and the only human beings she remembered knowing.

Kyokotsu was the eldest brother. Kagome was told that his abnormal size was due to the fact that he used to eat human and demon flesh when he was a boy. The same explanation was given to her when she asked why his hair was green and his face obviously deformed. Kyokotsu was a loner who liked to sleep outside, although their wooden two-story house was the size of twenty cabins put together.

The second born was Mukotsu. He was short and his large belly made it impossible for him to see his own feet. His face was always half-covered by a dirty scarf, which did a poor job at covering his nose and prevent him from inhaling the smokes of his potions. He knew all about plants and herbs and spent every single night in his laboratory.

Ginkotsu was the third member of the brotherhood. Most of his body parts were mechanical ones since there was little left of him after years of battling and severe injuries. Ginkotsu's hair was as unusual as Kyokotsu's, only red. He also was unable to talk, which made it difficult for Kagome to figure out his character.

Then, there was Suikotsu—handsome, kind and lonesome Suikotsu, who acted as Kagome's father. His brown hair and grey eyes didn't match Kagome's features so she often wondered whether he really was her father or not. He was said to have an evil side but for the life of her, she swore that was impossible.

Jakotsu was the one who openly rejected Kagome. He dressed in a fashion similar to hers and the rouge on his lips complimented his black hair and dark brown eyes. When Kagome was eight, she tried to touch his long tresses, only to be roughly pushed away. Jakotsu warned her then; if she didn't want to end up the way Ruri and Hari—"_the two moth demon bitches"_—did, she had to stay away from him or find a way not to be a girl.

The smartest brother of the clan was undoubtedly Renkotsu. He knew how to handle fire and called himself an engineer but Kagome had no idea what that word meant. Renkotsu was the one to build Ginkotsu a new body, adding guns to it, and to teach Kagome how to write. A blue bandana always covered his balding head.

The youngest brother was also the leader of the Band of Seven. Bankotsu was the most powerful fighter thanks to his halberd and the most caring person. He trusted his brothers, blindly, and was never violent when it came to Kagome, even if his words were sometimes harsh. Bankotsu had a territory to protect and he made sure to do so everyday.

As per usual, Kagome was left alone to do the house chores. She had to clean the entire house and their equipment, wash their clothes, as well as cook a variety of meals. At the age of eighteen, Kagome knew how to do it perfectly so the mercenaries wouldn't scold her but the memory of Jakotsu's whip and powerful slaps was still fresh in her mind. She had been punished whenever she had been too weak, too cold or too sick to work. When the time came and she bled for the first time, Kagome had been so scared she hid in a room all day, only to be stripped naked and lashed with Jakotsu's whip. Thankfully, that kind of thing didn't happen anymore and the girl made sure to fulfill her tasks and stay away from the man that obviously hated her.

Some leaves cracked behind her and her back stiffened, pausing as she hung the clothes to dry. Chocolates orbs darted around, her stare lingering on a spot ahead of her. Once she would have been scared but Suikotsu taught her how to defend herself by using a bow and arrow. According to Renkotsu, it was the best weapon for a human being blessed with spiritual powers but that was a statement Kagome never gave much thought to. She didn't consider herself as a priestess at all.

When the leaves stopped cracking, Kagome went back to work, only to notice she was hanging Mukotsu's clothes. Fear and disgust caused her heart rate to increase and she could still picture him sliding his sweaty palms up her kimono skirt when everyone else was eating in the dining room, by the fireplace. When she was younger, she never really understood what he wanted from her. She recalled he once let her drink a potion that was supposedly a gift for her but after a couple minutes, she couldn't move anymore. She remembered he tucked her in before roaming his hands over her small body—luckily, Suikotsu had been there to take her back and let her sleep in his own bed. Still, Kagome was now too old to sleep next to Suikotsu and she didn't know how to handle Mukotsu's advances. After all, why didn't anyone say anything about it? Was she old enough to say something herself or would they punish her if she showed any form of disrespect?

Lost in her thoughts, Kagome didn't hear the sound of approaching footsteps and was totally unprepared as clawed hands seized her wrists from behind.

"_Lips as red as blood, hair as black as night,_" a baritone voice whispered in her ear, "I believe I found the right girl, though I don't see any mercenary here."

* * *

Since the new chieftain of the Demon Slayer village had been imprisoned, three days had passed. The executioner had yet to arrive at the mausoleum of the White Spirit Mountain.

_Anytime now._

High Priest Miroku was exhausted. He had just come back from his journey with Saint Hijiri and despite the fact that he was famished and thirsty, he knew there were important matters at hand. Why Saint Hijiri was after her only grandniece and unsealed the most dangerous killer to find the girl was past him. If anything, he needed someone to talk to and share his findings with. He couldn't trust the other members of the Supreme Council—what if they told Saint Hijiri? He was sworn to secrecy.

Miroku reached the prison cells located behind the mausoleum with a grim look on his face. His indigo eyes were dull and his steps uneasy. A man in his seventies guarded the jail entrance. A patch covered his right eye and he was wearing a traditional armor. It was common for bandits seeking redemption for their souls to end up working at mausoleums and shrines, as long as the keepers allowed them to.

"Kansuke," Miroku greeted.

"High Priest Miroku," the old man greeted back.

"I am here to speak with the prisoner."

"Saint Hijiri made herself clear: the girl is in for capital punishment. She'll soon bleed to death. She didn't ask for any spiritual advice," the balding man argued boldly.

"I figured that a woman who is to die at such a young age might have a message for the family she is leaving behind."

Kansuke's eyes narrowed. He then stepped aside but refused to voice his approval of the priest's initiative. Kansuke knew that ultimately, high priests did as they wanted but if anything happened to the prisoners, he would be the one to blame.

Miroku made his way to the cell where the young demon slayer was resting. She was curled up in a ball in the far left corner and Miroku scrunched his nose when the smell of excrements got stronger. Did anyone ever clean the place? He cleared his throat then tapped the bars with his staff when she didn't react.

Sleepy eyes looked up at him and the young woman was suddenly standing. "Is it time?" she asked right away.

Miroku was taken aback. It was one thing to accept your own fate but this woman looked like she didn't fear death at all. _Her father was recently executed,_ the high priest reminded himself; _it is possible that she may be ready to follow him into the dark…_

"No, Sango. I need to speak with you."

Cinnamon eyes glared at him. "I don't need anyone holy to comfort me. I don't need any comfort actually."

"But I do."

Sango lips moved but she didn't speak. She was positive that this man was here to tell her how she didn't have to fear death and how she wouldn't suffer—a blatant lie since they would soon cut her flesh and let her slowly bleed to death, which would attract all kinds of wild animals ready to feast on her—but apparently, the priest had come for himself. The brown-haired girl wasn't sure this was reassuring. She was the one who would die and he needed comfort?

"I am sorry, don't you see that _I _was put behind bars?"

Miroku ignored her rhetorical question and quietly explained, "You see, after you refused to find Saint Hijiri's grandniece, I had to accompany Saint Hijiri down the mountain and up to the Sacred Tree. It was extenuating, really; Saint Hijiri kept walking for hours, didn't rest and didn't eat.

"She then proceeded to unseal Inu no Taisho's son, Inuyasha, a creature with mixed blood that was sealed almost fifty years ago. He is rumored to be an efficient killer but what is really frightening is the fact that he and Saint Hijiri knew each other. He didn't try to kill her at all. She asked him to find her grandniece and bring her back.

"Now, Sango, I need to tell you that Saint Hijiri sent the girl back when she came to look for her grandaunt ten years ago."

The demon slayer wasn't following. "Why are you telling me this? I don't see how I could answer your questions—if you actually have any, that is."

"My point is," Miroku paused voluntarily, "Saint Hijiri is an old woman who doesn't act like one at all and who is suspected of witchcraft. Why would the most powerful priestess of all time be suddenly interested in a girl she didn't care about for years?"

Sango shrugged, leaning to rest her upper back on the dirty wall behind her. "I don't know and I'm not sure I want to. This girl could be a threat, I guess. I slay—used to slay demons; I don't understand politics."

Miroku smiled and his eyes lingered on her chest as she crossed her arms under her breasts. "Well, this girl, Kagome, is related to Saint Hijiri and managed to stay alive in the Forest of No Return. _My _guess is that she has been blessed with spiritual powers and this is why Saint Hijiri needs the girl."

"Why are you interested in her, anyway? And again, why are you telling me this?" the brunette asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"If this girl is the new successor of Saint Hakushin, I would do anything to keep her alive and save the Kanto region, which is falling apart since Saint Hijiri started playing with the barrier but I am a pacifist and in need of a fighter to come with me."

Sango didn't answer right away. She shifted uncomfortably against the wall and couldn't look at the high priest in the eye.

"Are you in or are you going to stay here and wait for the executioner to arrive?" Miroku pressed.

"I-I… I don't want to die," she whispered in shame.

* * *

The heavy smells of death, putrefaction and poison filled his nostrils every time he breathed in. Inuyasha couldn't figure out what happened. He saw demons running free in the forest villagers had come to refer to as Inuyasha's Forest, which was funny since he never claimed it as his own territory. Hell, he never asked to be sealed to that tree in the first place.

As soon as Kikyo left with the indigo-eyed priest who had looked like he was about to faint, Inuyasha dashed to the nearest village. He needed answers; he needed to know how many years had passed and what changes had occurred in the meantime. He also wanted to know why Kikyo still looked like she did several decades ago.

Getting answers wasn't a hard task. His enhanced senses did most of the work. Villagers complained loudly, too. Apparently, the barrier that protected the White Spirit Mountain was getting weaker because Saint Hijiri wasn't fulfilling her duties as the leader of the human world. She was doing quite the contrary, letting demons in and behaving carelessly when it came to the war between demons and human beings. He heard that his clan, led by his father and half-brother, no longer lived in the Kyushu region—they would be arriving soon, presumably to free him. He perfectly knew that as far as his half-brother, Sesshomaru, was concerned, he could rot in hell but maybe his father was truly concerned. _So concerned that it took him fifty years to come look for me._

Fifty years… Inuyasha stared at the grey sky from his spot on the tallest tree branch he was perched on. He perfectly remembered the day Kikyo pinned him to the Sacred Tree. He had been following her for months, cherishing the unhealthy fantasy of eventually settling down with her. He knew she was a woman bound to serve the Living Buddha and follow Midoriko's steps. Kikyo, the most beautiful woman in this land, rejected men that came from the other side of the world to court her and he once foolishly believed that he would be the one to get her. When she didn't reject him as she did others, she fueled his hopes to no end… He recalled she once explained to him that if humans ever won the war against demons and found the very crux of the conflict—namely the Jewel of Four Souls, originated by the battle between Great Priestess Midoriko and many demons anchored within the heart of a human, then maybe the two of them could use it to have him turn into a human… Either that, or she would have to find a way to slow down the human aging process.

Inuyasha sighed, his heart clenching involuntarily. Did she really think his feelings would change because of her looks? _If only the looks were the real problem…_ When Kikyo threatened him earlier, he was able to smell the change. A demonic aura surrounded her own even though she was still human. He couldn't explain it.

A fuzzy, triangular ear twitched and the half-demon looked down. A young man was fishing but what really caught Inuyasha's eye was the man's attire. Apparently, traditional clothing had been discarded. Well, he had to look for a young girl and if he didn't want to die a slow, painful death, he had better find her and let no one notice him.

Inuyasha carefully slid down the tree, making his presence unknown. Once he was right behind the brown-haired young man, he barked out, "Asshole, what is your name?"

The man suddenly jumped to his feet and let out a scream upon seeing the half-demon standing before him.

"Wha—what—" The young man gulped. "Don't—don't you dare come near me! I'm Amari Nobunaga and if you only try to—"

"Oh, come on," Inuyasha scoffed. "Sweet dreams."

He cracked his knuckles once, twice, and then balled his hand into a fist that had the young nobleman drift off in no time. Inuyasha wasted no time in stealing his expensive clothing and discarding his traditional layers. The Robe of the Fire-Rat was the only item he kept, as it was the best armor he could have—fireproof and regenerative. Inuyasha quickly saw his reflection in the wavy water of the lake and raised an eyebrow. Well, people surely dressed funny. His black trousers had no ties but a funny zip-it-up-and-down thing and the blue shirt he wore underneath his robe was held in place by little round things that had been sewed on it. Inuyasha glanced at the funny not-sandals sandals with leather laces the young man was wearing but decided he would pass. He already felt uncomfortable in this attire.

It was time to look for the girl Kikyo needed to see. It would definitely be the last thing he would do for that woman… Or at least, he hoped so.

Inuyasha used to run on all fours but he figured that would have been uncomfortable with the pants he was wearing. Besides, using his feet and them only didn't slow him down. The more he ran, the more his blood boiled. He was still waking up from his slumber of about fifty years and he knew what he needed: a fight. He seriously hoped every single villager he bullied to know where the Forest of No Return was told him the truth and that the members Band of Seven were indeed fighters worth defeating.

Tall trees and colorful leaves still surrounded Inuyasha and the half-demon narrowed his eyes. The villagers had told him that the moment he would step into the Forest of No Return, he would know it, as Mother Nature seemed to be barren there, but he had been running for several hours now and the scenery was still peaceful. Granted, there were some moth demons on the loose but still; those villagers needed an update.

The silver-haired half-demon just landed on a thick branch when the sweet smell of berries reached his damp, sensitive nose. He slowly got off the branch, fallen leaves cracking under his feet, and he took a deeper breath. Yes, it was definitely the scent of a female human: sweet, fruity and rather clean. He saw someone move behind some clothes rack. His eyesight adjusted to the darkness after he quickly glanced at the sky. The clouds were so thick he couldn't even figure out what time it was but that didn't matter anymore; he caught himself whining, his pants slowly tightening.

Well, damn his current state. He slept for so long that he was now in need of absolutely _everything_. He wasn't sure he could prioritize at the moment. There was a young woman dressed in weird clothes—a top that showed off her arms and collarbone and what looked like a short kimono skirt—and whose skin was as pale as the moon. Long, wavy tresses cascaded down her back and she was applying some rosy red product on her lips.

He couldn't make out her face from his spot but it had to be her. There was an insanely large, wooden house in the background, the kind that could definitely host seven mercenaries and their freaky equipment. Inuyasha approached the clueless girl slowly, almost like a wild feline. Her scent was getting stronger and the thrill of the capture caused his blood to rush to certain body parts that were fully awake now.

When the girl was close enough, the half-demon wasted no time. His golden eyes turned amber and in a quick movement, his hands held her wrists and his lips brushed against her earlobe. And her scent—Holy Living Buddha, what a scent—

"_Lips as red as blood, hair as black as night,_" his baritone voice whispered in her ear, "I believe I found the right girl, though I don't see any mercenary here."

The girl with the heavenly scent that threatened his sanity to be thrown out of the window was shaking now and his dog-ears caught the sound of her heart beating faster than his own. She slowly turned her head around; she stuttered but he didn't listen. As if he had been burned, Inuyasha frog leaped away. That face—it was impossible; who was this girl and why did she look so much like Kikyo? Granted, her eyes were rounder, her lips slightly fuller but…

"Kagome!" a worried, masculine voice called out.

Inuyasha stood still and watched as the girl before him cried out, "Dad!"

A brown-haired, grey-eyed human male was now hugging her protectively. _Kikyo had a baby? When did that happen?_

His heart clenched for the umpteenth time that day but he had no time to dwell on his feelings. He had a job to do and he wanted out of the misery he had been put in.

The heavy smell of dirty males erased the sweet scent of the girl named Kagome as six other men appeared from behind the trees.

"Well, well, well… What's a sweet little thing like you doing here? And with that little slut, no less," a man with dark hair and red lipstick whispered seductively. Purple markings traced tears down his cheeks. Inuyasha was a little intimidated by the sword the mercenary was holding in his right hand.

"Fucking dog demons. I knew they would arrive soon," a shorter man added, opening a jar. "It's a good thing I'm prepared, right Jakotsu?"

"Mukotsu—"

The clown named Jakotsu didn't have the time to finish his sentence. Inuyasha cut through his own flesh the moment his nose recognized the smell of the contents of the jar. It was a concoction known for the paralyzing effects it had on creatures with an extremely sensitive sense of smell.

"Blades of blood," he quietly whispered before his clawed attack hit the fat man, slicing his throat, chest, amputating his arms and poking his eyes out. There was a shriek and several gasps but the golden-eyed demon's reaction was a smirk. His blood was boiling again. How long had it been since he last sliced someone up?

"Fucking bastard," another mercenary promptly insulted in. Inuyasha took in the long, black braid and the tattooed four-pointed star on his forehead. The guy was lean and fairly tall and given the size of his halberd, Inuyasha figured this one felt self-conscious about something and was probably the leader of the brotherhood. "You killed my brother without second thoughts."

"Give me the girl," Inuyasha commanded, baring his fangs. "Or I might just kill your other brothers."

The leader was about to speak again when Jakotsu interrupted him. "Let me have this one, Bankotsu."

Jakotsu gave Inuyasha no warning. In the blink of an eye, his broad sword was deployed and about fifty blades moved forward, trapping the half-demon as they dug into his skin.

"I suggest you don't move at all, darling," Jakotsu whispered. "Even batting your gorgeous eyelashes at me will cause you pain. I will cut you into so many pieces…" His voice was filled with sick lust. "But I'll make sure those ears remain intact."

Inuyasha cursed his slowness. If it hadn't been for that girl's face, for that girl's scent… If it hadn't been for Kikyo's seal… What was happening to him? He was an outstanding fighter, the fastest killer in history or something close to it. He couldn't die just because a freaky clown was putting on a freaking show with that freakishly long sword of his.

His veins were throbbing and his heart was beating so fast that he really thought his heart was going to implode. Never had he felt that way before. Inuyasha's mind was going blank and Jakotsu's laughter was the last sound he remembered hearing.

* * *

Kagome clutched Suikotsu's sleeves as she shook violently. The demon with long and wild silver hair was laughing maniacally, his elongated fangs almost piercing his lips. Jagged purple stripes appeared on each side of his face and his eye weren't liquid gold anymore. Deep red sclera, blue irises and white pupils—she had never seen a scarier creature even though she lived in the Forest of No Return. And for the first time in her life, she saw Jakotsu hesitate.

The mercenary pulled at the hilt of his sword. Inuyasha's robe and shirt tore right away, leaving the demon bare-chested. Kagome didn't know what to focus her gaze on; between the robe that was regenerating and the way the silver-haired demon jumped so high in the sky, she nearly missed it—the sound of Jakotsu's neck snapping. Inuyasha was behind him in a split second, his left hand under the mercenary's chin and his left one on the right side of his head.

Inuyasha's blood was still boiling, his demonic side stronger than ever, and several veins popped, crimson liquid splashing on his fair skin. The demon sneered when the leader of the Band of Seven, Bankotsu, lost his self-control and started twirling his halberd between his fingers. Kagome was now crying, soaking Suikotsu's button-down shirt. They were all about to die, she repeated over and over.

Suikotu's eyes were fixed on Bankotsu. There was no way their leader would end up like Jakotsu and Mukotsu did. His remaining brothers probably shared the same feeling because they were glued to their own spots. Bankotsu was roaring insults at the demon that dared challenge his authority and strength but he kept missing his target as he swung the halberd, aiming at the dog demon's head. Driven by his own rage, Bankotsu didn't seem to notice how close the demon had gotten. He was convinced; he had the advantage and he was about to cut the demon's head off his shoulders. Swinging his weapon once more, Bankotsu was totally unprepared as Inuyasha cracked his knuckles, and then punched the halberd. Bankotsu's wrist snapped, his blue eyes widened and the blade swung the wrong way, slicing him up in two. His insides spilled all over the ground and that was Renkotsu's call.

Inuyasha barked out a laugh, as he smelled the powder the human with a blue bandana was about to use on him. He brought his right hand to his face, reveling in the metallic scent of blood. More. He needed more.

"Kagome," Suikotsu's voice reached the eighteen-year-old girl's ears. "You need to run away. _Now._"

"But Dad—"

The brown-haired mercenary pushed her away and she hit the ground, her legs too weak to support her own weight. She crawled on all fours, trying to comply with her father figure's wishes, only to roll on her back as she scratched her knee on one of Jakotsu's blades. Her shrill caused Inuyasha's ears to twitch and her breath hitched in her throat. _Please, don't look this way._

Light blue eyes glanced at her and it was the moment of distraction Renkotsu needed. He fired his cannon once, twice, missing his target each time. Renkotsu ignored Suikotsu's cries of pain as their house collapsed, trapping him under.

"If you're dying, it's your own fault, Suikotsu," Renkotsu yelled at his younger brother. "Fucking priestess purified the part of you that's actually worth our time! Shit, she's not your fucking daughter! Give this fucking dog-shit his bitch already!"

Inuyasha crouched when Renkotsu aimed at him again then charged at him, running on all fours, the veins on his back popping. There was an explosion; Renkotsu let his cannon drop, as he felt something run through his stomach. Looking down, he caught the fiery gaze of the dog demon that was twisting his arm inside his body just because.

"What bitch?" the demon asked him.

The moment Renkotsu dropped on his knees, Kyokotsu started running towards the dog-eared killer, his deformed face set in a scowl. His younger brother, Ginkotsu, reacted way quicker as he began firing at the demon using the mechanical arm Renkotsu had provided him with. Both were too slow though; Inuyasha kept dodging their attacks, grinning as if he were enjoying the sick game and Kagome realized that the demon had completely forgotten about her. Standing up, she refused to look at Suikotsu who was crying in pain since wooden poles stabbed his back and trapped him under their burning house. When she heard Kyokotsu's deafening scream, she ran.

Inuyasha jumped in the air for the last time and landed on a tree branch, smirking at his dead opponents. Ginkotsu had fired at Kyokotsu, who had been shot in the chest at the same time his balled fists crushed his brother's skull. Both had been aiming at Inuyasha.

The dog demon stood tall. He took a deep breath, his grin widening as the smell of bloody death and the smokes filled his nostrils. There was something sweet, too, something that made his head spin. There was someone else's scent—the scent of someone who was still alive and didn't reek of perspiration and urine. A female.

"_Give this fucking dog-shit his bitch already!"_

Inuyasha smirked again, his light blue eyes darting around. Killing females was another kind of fun.

* * *

Kagome sighed in relief as the nearby waterfall came into view. Water would help her hide her scent. She slowed down her pace, trying to figure out how not to get hurt when she had to climb down a small cliff to get into the pond.

The sound of cracking tree branches startled her and it was enough to make her slip. She bounced on her bottom once before she rolled down the small cliff. Pain invaded her brain before it all went black.

* * *

Inuyasha crawled on all fours, his demon blood still fueling his raw desires and helping him fulfill his primary needs. He had survived, wasn't hungry and didn't need more clothing. A part of him was feeling tired and required some rest but he was still too agitated. He needed to calm down.

The sugary scent he had previously smelled was getting stronger. Where was that human female? She was weak, he knew that much and understood that she was no valid opponent. She couldn't have gotten that far away.

Inuyasha heard the sound of a waterfall. He growled, his chest vibrating. Was she bathing? Was she trying to cover her scent? Branches and leaves cracked under his weight and as he got closer, the smell of blood sent him in a trance. So sweet, so weak… _Total mercy…_

The human female was sprawled on a smooth rock. She seemed to be sleeping peacefully, although blood tainted her mane, signaling a head injury. Inuyasha hovered over her, sniffing around her neck only to pause when his ears caught the fait sound of her heart beating. He brought a clawed hand to her face and the moment his palm touched her pale cheek, a wave of spiritual power ran through his entire body. His mind was clearer, less foggy, and he finally was aware of the several cuts on his skin. He hissed in pain, only to realize that his right cheek had been slashed open at some point.

"Fuck," he muttered. "What the hell happened?"

Kagome whimpered under him, as her lungs weren't getting enough air, and he panicked. The girl he was supposed to bring back was hurt. The rock she was lying on top of was bloodstained. She had been running away from something, but what? Why couldn't he remember a single thing?

Inuyasha shifted his weight on his left knee and he gasped. Glancing down, he noticed the tent between his legs. "What the f—"

Kagome whimpered again, her head lolling to the right, exposing soft skin. Inuyasha's fingers traced her neck, following an invisible path. Absorbed by the softness of her skin, he unconsciously ignored the blood on his claws and the bits of human flesh that were stuck between his claws and finger pads.

His hand traveled down the petite girl's body, roamed over her breast and he crinkled his damp nose when the thin material of her pale yellow top did nothing to cover the tauter nipple. He rested his hand on her left hip, his golden eyes glancing back at her familiar face. Why did she have to look so much like the woman that couldn't reject him properly and chose to pin him to a tree instead? Did Kikyo really have a daughter? How saint was that?

Something was different with the girl's scent but he couldn't tell what it was. All he knew was that it was intoxicating to the point that he was unable to think straight. Inuyasha didn't even realize he was shaking until he brought his right hand to his face. His skin was on fire and his stiff member was causing him pain. His golden eyes traveled back to the taut nipple and he lost the little control he still had over his urges.

His lips latched on her nipple, humming when he heard her sharp intake of breath. He ran his tongue over her covered breast before he decided to pull her top up. He ran his hands over her mounds, the sight of her chest erasing the previous fantasies he had about the woman he thought was her mother. Kagome's head lolled to the other side and she arched her back when he caressed her again. And again.

Pressing his aching member against her right thigh, he began rubbing against her bare skin. The kimono skirt was mostly ruined and gathered near her inner thighs. He chose to lift it up and he raised an eyebrow at the white fabric that covered her core. And there he though the pants he was wearing were weird… Pushing the fabric aside, he brought his hand to his penis when he caught the sight of slightly wet curls. The faint smell of natural lubrication was making his head hurt. Shoving his pants down, he started jerking his member when Kagome moved.

Inuyasha stilled, afraid that the girl would wake up and catch him in the middle of such a shameful act. Kagome whispered inaudible words before passing out again. Inuyasha brought his face closer to hers. Getting high on her scent alone, he nuzzled her cheek before his right arm circled her shoulders while his left one trapped her waist. He rubbed his staff against her wet center, breathing in the sighs she let out and he did nothing to prevent his fangs from sinking into his lips, drawing his own blood.

He wanted to stop—he truly wanted to just let go of her. Angry tears threatened to fall as his vision was blurry but then he felt her nails dug in his left wrist and she moaned. Whatever he was doing to relieve himself was also pleasurable to her. He ceased his movements and Kagome whined softly. His left hand came to explore her nether region. He brushed his fingers against her skin, applying some pressure every inch until he found a little bundle that caused her hips to jerk towards his. Swallowing the lump in his throat, the half-demon repeated the action until his fingers were soaked. She was so wet, so very beautiful and her scent…

_That—_he adjusted himself—_fucking—_and aligned his throbbing member—_scent!_—to finally thrust into her. Kagome cried out, the sharp pain nearly helping her to regain consciousness, but Inuyasha was deeply lost in his own sensations to actually notice.

Holding her close, he could hear her gasps, her cries, and her throaty moans as he fucked her within an inch of her life. She felt so hot, her snatch encasing his cock in a painful yet oh-so-delicious way that he wished it could last forever. Her soft muscles clenched every time he thrust in as she unconsciously tried to expel the intruder and he reveled in it. Nuzzling her ear, his tongue darted out to lick her earlobe tenderly and he heard her moan again. Fuzzy triangles twitched twice. Even the sounds she made were sweet.

Kagome's rosy lips parted. His thrusts were becoming more and more aggressive; he was pushing deeper, filling her to the point that the tip of his cock brushed against her cervix. Both of them hissed in pain and Inuyasha stilled for a second or two, his bloody lips seeking comfort in the soft skin of her neck. Kagome's hips bucked against his and he slowly rocked his whole body into the junction of her legs.

Everything felt so insanely good that Inuyasha didn't know how he could possibly get more. Letting go of her shoulders and waist, the half-demon ran his clawed hands down her body and legs then under her skirt to get a firm hold of her butt cheeks. Pounding faster, that wetness of hers spilled down her thighs and between her cheeks. His heavy sack slapped against them and the sounds Kagome was making were so throaty, he brought his tongue to lavish her neck and feel her skin vibrate.

She was frail and weak; her legs were dangling on each side of his hips and her arms light but her nails were scratching his wrists just as his claws dug into her skin. That position was making him see stars—the way her small breasts bounced, the beads of sweat forming on her forehead—but he was addicted to her scent and desperately needed to breathe it in. Inuyasha held her close again, screwed his golden eyes shut as he rolled his hips in sync with her—_Wait, she's awake?_

When her head lolled to the side for the third or fourth time, he concluded that she was still unconscious, though she would probably open her eyes sometime soon. Pushing that thought aside, Inuyasha growled loudly before he groaned in her ear, fangs grazing her creamy skin. His tongue darted out to taste her again and with a final roll of his lips, he spilled his hot seed into her. His head was thrown back but he didn't miss the feel of Kagome's body arching into is. Something obviously caused tremors in her shoulders, arms, hips and legs and he felt tiny squeezes around his shaft. She sighed loudly before her body went still.

Inuyasha's eyes widened at the sight and he immediately let go of her. He clumsily stood up, fumbling with his pants, only to pause and let his golden eyes roam over the dark-haired human. Her cheeks were flushed and her body exposed. She was still alive but after the way she shook in his arms… Did he hurt her? Kill her? Inuyasha quietly approached her again to fix her clothing and put everything back into place, as if to 'clean the mess'. His fingers itched to stroke her hair, to hold her close for all eternity but hot seed was running down his left thigh and that was when it hit him: the smell of death, powder and human blood. He had been fighting. He had killed people—people he assumed were the mercenaries Kagome lived with because the two of them were now alone and she had been running away from someone. From him.

Glancing at the dampened area of the fabric that covered her core, Inuyasha felt sick.

* * *

_**Acknowledgments**_

_**chelseatygers, Rochoa, Deviiltjee, iamthewerepire, Anjellyca25, Softly Spoken Words, TheGreatANGSTHATER, Wenchster, Warm-Amber92, rspringb, yaya94, SkittlesKitty and WitchyGirl99.**_

* * *

**Author's notes:** I couldn't find any clear indication of who is the eldest/who is the youngest/who is in between among the Band of Seven so I followed their order of appearance in the series.

I know I previously said this would be a three-part story, but there is actually a lot I would like to add in each chapter so it's actually going to be a three-part story with some sort of epilogue.

And… I can't believe what I wrote here. I can't comment but please, say something.


	3. Part Three

**The Fairest of All**

**Part III**

"_Kagome, Kagome… You are no more than a bird in a cage…_"

Kikyo sat on top of the stairs of the mausoleum of the White Spirit Mountain, her long, dark hair curtaining her fragile body. She was expecting a very important visit, the kind of visit that required every high priest and high priestess' dismissal. She had just had lunch—a meal that, yet again, consisted in human flesh and bones but her lungs required it, for she couldn't walk around in the backyard of the mausoleum without coughing. Now, she felt better. She was sure of it.

The sun was setting when a woman way older than her showed up at the base of the stairs, her bugged out eyes darting around. Her long, gray hair swayed as the wind blew and her red eyes finally focused on the high priestess before her. She climbed the stairs slowly, as if she were afraid of the priestess that summoned her in the first place, and then she bowed her head to acknowledge the human being known as Saint Hijiri.

"Urasue," Kikyo spoke quietly. "Did you bring it?"

The demon sorceress glanced down at the bundle she held in her arms. She nodded. It was only a matter of seconds before Kikyo took the bundle and held it in her own arms. It was covered in a light, dirty cloth and it moved. A tiny, animated clay body clung to the high priestess' hand when she touched it.

"Where are the other monks?" the demon sorceress asked when no one came to point their finger at her.

"They're high priests and priestesses," Saint Hijiri corrected. "I was tired of wearing the veil," she explained, waving her hand, "so I just had Kansuke lock them up."

Kikyo showed Urasue inside, all the while babying the creature the demon sorceress brought with her. It comforted her in a way and she felt less lonely. As the most powerful priestess of the Kanto region, she had not been allowed to have children of her own.

"You didn't ask for me just so you could play with some doll, did you?" the sorceress boldly asked once they were both seated in Kikyo's private room. Urasue took in her surroundings, the wealth the high priestess bathed in every day starting to make her feel uneasy. Saint Hijiri did summon her but that didn't mean she wouldn't purify her at some point—it _was_ her duty to kill demons after all.

"Inu no Taisho has arrived," the youthful-looking saint stated, "and I need you to help me slow him down. I heard you and your children build clay soldiers. Build an army for me."

The ogress snickered. "This is going to take days. Besides, I hear the Dog General has a powerful weapon, the kind that slays a hundred demons in one swing." Red eyes glanced back at Saint Hijiri, who was busy making faces at the clay baby in her arms. Urasue cleared her throat, and then added, "But I could always build this army for Your Holiness…"

"Yeah, yeah…"

Urasue wasn't sure what to do. The high priestess' standoffishness was unexpected and the way her attention was focused on the clay bundle had her wondering; were the rumors true—did the high priestess really consume human flesh? That couldn't be safe; Saint Hijiri was no demon so her body could easily be affected by some of the infections sometimes found in other humans. Well, that was she heard at least but she was no human expert. She was a mere necromancer.

Urasue's red, bug-like eyes settled on the mirror on the wall when she grew tired of Saint Hijiri's giggles and noises. Well, that was an item she thought no longer existed. Now, everything fell into place…

"I see the Mirror of Kanna is in your possession," the ogress pointed out, a secretive smile on her thin, red lips. She slowly got to her feet, her severe kyphosis standing out. "I am surprised," she lied.

Kikyo finally diverted her attention from the clay baby to focus on the demon sorceress' face. "It was a gift from High Priestess Tsubaki," she answered.

"Tsubaki isn't known to be a holy person, now, is she?" the ogress rhetorically asked. "I take it the mirror is the reason why you look like you are in your twenties instead of your late sixties."

"What is your point, Urasue?" Kikyo warned, lines forming as she furrowed her brow, which betrayed the illusion of young, baby soft skin.

"Every demon out there knows that the mirror, while it tells the truth to its rightful owner, serves its own purposes.

"Rumor has it that the most powerful, the evilest creature in this world tricked Kaguya, a demon that absorbed a celestial princess that went by the same name, in order to get a hold of her Life Mirror, an item believed to be the portal to another dimension. This evil creature once went by the name of Naraku," the demon sorceress explained carefully in every detail, satisfied that the high priestess was finally listening to her.

"Naraku needed a place to hide safely since traditional religions were abandoned and spiritual beings gathered around their self-proclaimed saints to become more powerful.

"Naraku was known for releasing detachments of himself. His first daughter was Kanna, the demon of nothingness that carried a mirror allowing Naraku to keep an eye on everything. The properties of the Life Mirror were successfully transferred to Kanna's mirror, which could only steal souls in the first place. Given Your Holiness' looks, I take it you know what I am talking about. You've been devouring human souls and chewing on human bones so that you could bring back the old days."

Their gazes locked. Urasue's right eyebrow rose in genuine interest when she noticed that Saint Hijiri was trying to hide the fact she was shocked. So there were things the high priestess didn't know about…

"Witch, are you implying that I have been wasting my time?"

"Your Holiness," the last syllable rolled off Urasue's tongue slowly, as if she wanted to create a dramatic effect, "all I am saying is that this mirror was meant to be a trick. Naraku wants to corrupt every holy being that could potentially purify the Jewel of Four Souls if it were to be found," the demon sorceress theorized. "If you want to be young and live forever, I have the solution."

Kikyo stood up abruptly, which caused the demon sorceress to jump slightly. "Get to the point already." Her voice was steady and her tone cold as she glared down at the demon that dared insult her intelligence. No one disclosed such capital information unless they aimed at something big.

"You just keep this physical appearance and, let's see… Die. We will need one of your, eh, disgusting, white insects to collect your soul before it goes straight to the Wheel of Reincarnation and I'll craft a clay body using your remains. Then, we just put the soul back in," Urasue explained excitedly.

"And what do _you_ want?"

"I want you to find the Jewel of Four Souls for me."

Saint Hijiri remained silent for several minutes. Urasue was starting to believe that the mentally unstable woman would purify her and that she wouldn't have received any other answer when the longhaired priestess nodded, her dark brown eyes fixed on the Mirror of Kanna.

"I'll do that. As a dead person, why would I care about the Jewel of Four Souls?"

Urasue was trying hard not to clap her hands to congratulate herself. "Oh," she suddenly remembered, "one more thing. Unless you wish to rely on those soul collectors out there, I suggest we immediately find a soul that is big enough to give you the strength you'll need after your resurrection."

"You will fly over the Forest of No Return, where the brotherhood that wouldn't obey their saints and princes once lived.

"There, you will find the fairest woman in this land with _lips as red as blood and hair as black as night_.

"Remember this, Urasue: all I need is for you to spare the half-demon currently accompanying her."

The ogress was ready to leave but her stare lingered on the high priestess' form. Kikyo sat on her bed and bounced the clay baby on her lap. It was small and faceless but Kikyo was looking at it with a warm smile on her lips. For a split second, she almost looked human and motherly.

"Inuyasha and I are young parents now," she told no one in particular. "What are you, hmm?" she asked the clay baby as it made strangled noises. "A girl? Yes? I will name you Kagome.

"_Kagome, Kagome, you are no more than a bird in a cage…_" she resumed her singing.

Urasue sent her a horrified look. "Mentally ill humans are worse than demons. Let's hope the girl she speaks of is really hosting a soul that's big enough."

* * *

She was feeling hot. Something was wrong. It was like being feverish. She knew she was hallucinating but she couldn't bring herself to open her eyes and stare at the sky. There couldn't be a roof above her head—white light exploded behind her eyelids and she felt like screaming when her brain played the scene of her family's murder over and over again.

Then, she felt pain. A stinging pain. It came from the junction of her legs and the last time anything hurt down there was when she fell asleep on a tree branch. But she was lying on her back, right? Why else would her shoulder blades feel so cold?

The sound of water filled her hears, as well as loud panting. Was she the one making such noises? There was a flash, another painful stab between her legs and suddenly, Mukotsu's face was right there—he was hovering over her body, his dirty scarf had been discarded and he was grinning, saliva dripping from his fat lips.

"_Kagome, you and I are getting married,"_ she heard him speak the words he said every night.

"_What are you doing to me?"_ she asked—or at least, she thought she asked. The words seemed to be stuck somewhere between her vocal chords and her tongue, so she tried again.

_Wha—what—_

"What have I done to you?" she heard someone else whisper in her ear. "This is wrong," a deep, masculine voice that definitely wasn't Mukotsu's went on. "Kagome…?"

Chocolate brown eyes shot open and she winced when the light threatened to burn her retina. She then realized she was sitting upright, her back against a smooth rock. There was a pond nearby but all she could think of was the fact that she was about to die. The demonic, golden-eyed creature that slaughtered her family was crouching in front of her and she felt extremely weak. A part of her wondered why she _was_ still alive but certainly, the sadist in this killer liked it better when the victims of his claws were awake.

"You hit your head," the silver-haired half-demon told her. "Your clothes are ruined," he pointed out, standing up. "You should wash up," he said, eying the pond and the waterfall down the small hill, "and I'll just fetch you some clothes."

Without even glancing back at her, he took off.

It took an incredible amount of time for Kagome to climb down the hill and cleanse her body. Her limbs ached, she had several cuts and marks she didn't remember getting. Her head sometimes spun and she felt like throwing up. She realized she hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast and now the sun was setting.

Kagome was feeling cold; she had thoroughly washed her hair, somewhat detangled it but the golden-eyed creature was nowhere to be seen and her ruined clothing wouldn't actually keep her warm. It was both frightening and comforting to know that she depended on the dog demon. After all, he turned her home into a slaughterhouse but whom could she possibly turn to? Granted, she knew how to survive in a forest but what was she supposed to do to actually live?

She had many questions to ask the dog demon, the first one being what he wanted from her and why he killed the only human beings she knew. She also wanted to know who he was exactly because her family had slayed demons for years and all of sudden they were dead amateurs.

Another lingering question was… _Did he touch me?_ When Kagome stepped in the water earlier, her most intimate parts throbbed and when she relieved herself, she noticed that she was bloody _down there_. Her hips were also scratched so if he did touch her the way Mukotsu often attempted to by lifting her kimono skirt, it was no wonder his claws left a bloody trail…

"My, my," an unknown voice interrupted her thoughts, "child, you should come out of the water or else you risk getting sick."

Kagome turned around so quickly she almost lost her balance. An old woman with long, grey hair and bug-like eyes was staring at her. She was standing on top of the tiny hill and holding a basket in her arms. Kagome guessed she was a villager, though she had met some only on rare occasions before.

"I don't have clothes," the raven-haired young woman tried to explain, "my—uh, someone is—"

"They're not going to be sent by the Gods, child," the old lady leered. "Come on, I still have some bodices I normally sell to the nearest village."

Kagome nodded, and then proceeded to get out of the pond, grabbing her sandals where she had left them and putting them on before she climbed up the hill. She figured her dignity didn't really matter since the only person standing there was that old woman and besides, her shredded clothes wouldn't cover anything.

"I'm Kagome," she whispered her name as she bowed to the lady.

"I know."

The woman pulled out a white, full slip that reached mid-thigh in length and it was the first time Kagome ever wore such a soft cloth. She wanted to ask the woman how this was supposed to keep her warm when said woman handed her a longer skirt that matched a brown bodice.

"This is what they call imported goods," the grey-haired woman with no name anticipated. "You should enjoy them while you can."

Her voice didn't sound as gentle and caring as before but the moment Kagome tried to turn around, she was roughly shoved to the ground.

"You—you are not a villager," she choked out.

"I'm the demon sorceress Urasue, little girl," the ogress corrected, "and your soul is mine."

She pressed the heel of her right foot against the small of Kagome's back, all the while violently lacing the bodice, pulling, fastening and kicking the girl's body when Kagome tried to fight her assailant.

Kagome was gagging and choking on her own saliva. She clawed at the ground but it was so grassy she couldn't even manage to grab some dirt to throw in the witch's face. From the corner of her right eye, she could see another demon, an eel-looking one, coming closer and that was when she felt like truly passing out, as if her soul was being sucked out of her body.

"There," she could still hear the ogress beam, "there—ah!"

In the blink of an eye, the pain ceased and Kagome could properly breathe again. She had to cough and spit first but then she jumped to her knees when Urasue's head fell next to hers. Kagome looked up, her darkened hues setting on the dog demon's back as he sliced the eel-like demon with his claws. She noticed he wasn't wearing his button-down shirt and slacks anymore but some traditional, white and red attire.

"You're here," Kagome whispered.

Their eyes met for a brief second but he preferred to stare at the ground. Freeing her from the bodice, he covered her form using the red robe, which had been torn during his fight against Jakotsu but she had witnessed its regenerating abilities. It was warm and though it kind of smelled like wet wood, it soothed her nerves. It wasn't as if she felt safe but at least, she wasn't dying anytime soon.

* * *

"_A crane and a turtle are going to slip and fall…_"

Kikyo hummed the end of the children's song, still cradling her clay baby in her arms. She had watched Urasue's demise through the Mirror of Kanna, which only confirmed the witch's words when she said it once helped Naraku to keep an eye on things. Even without the mirror, Kikyo would have known that the witch wasn't powerful enough to defeat Inuyasha and for sure, she wasn't clever enough to kill Kagome while lurking in the shadows.

And so Kikyo had been careful and summoned Urasue's children, Enju and Kawaramaru, to complete their mother's task. The son would work on that army to keep Inu no Taisho and Sesshomaru a little busy while the daughter's mission would be to bring Kikyo back to life. In the meantime, she needed someone else to collect Kagome's soul because she certainly didn't want to spend the rest of the afterlife collecting smaller, insignificant souls of prematurely dead women so she could take a walk with her soon-to-be husband.

"_Kagome, Kagome…"_

A short, female demon cleared her throat. "Is Kagome her name? 'Cause you've been humming this annoying tune for a while now. I want the Jewel of Four Souls, _Saint Hijiri_," she spat, her magenta eyes fixed on the supposedly holy person standing in front of her.

Kikyo studied the color of the demon's irises before she pointed out, "You're still a brat, aren't you, Yura? How many humans did you even kill—or eat?"

The demon with a bob haircut glared at her. "I'm a hair demon. I kill humans _and_ demons with hair worth my time but I sure as hell don't eat them. That's gross."

The high priestess' thoughts instantly went back to her last meal and she threw her head back, laughing. Clutching her stomach as tears threatened to fall from her eyes, she dropped the clay baby doll, which shattered as soon as it hit the marble ground of her private room.

"Oh," she acknowledged, "I'm sorry, Kagome."

Yura nervously ran a hand through her short hair. Was this woman demented? Minutes passed before Saint Hijiri actually stood up, not even bothering to gaze at the borrowed soul that used to animate the clay doll as it was collected by one of the insects floating around her.

"Still here? I thought you had a girl named Kagome to kill."

"I'm sorry, I think you just stole my job," the hair demon retorted sarcastically.

"Kagome, my grandniece, you fool; not my daughter."

Yura disappeared as soon as she heard the saint's answer._ Crazy humans. _

* * *

"Eat," Inuyasha ordered the girl sitting a couple feet behind him.

"What about you?"

"I don't need to right now. I can go on like this for days. You can't, so just eat the fucking rabbits already."

Truthfully, he was a little hungry but after he went looking for comfortable clothes, he had only had the time to hunt a couple skinny rabbits before he smelled the funny scent Kikyo was covered in the last time they talked. And that was when he saw a soul collector head in Kagome's direction. Apparently, Kikyo had changed her mind about the girl—did she want her dead? Is that why the witch tried to suffocate Kagome? Back then he didn't have time to think. Kikyo told him she wanted the girl to come back alive and a part of him wanted to save her life because, well, he hoped it would make him feel less guilty for using her.

That didn't work out.

"Do you know how to defend yourself?" he suddenly asked her. In the blink of an eye, he was crouching before her, his wide, golden eyes scrutinizing her oval-shaped face.

"Huh?"

"Weapons. Do you know how to use any? I have no idea where that fat bitch came from. Did you fight her before?"

Kagome fervently shook her head. "I never fought anyone. My family… They used to slay demons every day. My father taught me how to fire arrows. He used to say that I was born with spiritual powers and that since they took me in the Forest of No Return was slowly being purified. So firing arrows would help me canalize that energy." She shrugged before she added, "I'm not really sure though. I'm terrible at aiming."

"I'll steal some arrows tomorrow. You never know." When she didn't say anything, he added, "Those assholes weren't your family. Don't tell me they never abused you."

Kagome looked away from him, her hands fisting the skirt she was wearing. "Suikotsu raised me. You killed him. Why? Where are we going?" she asked with a pointed stare.

"White Spirit Mountain," he answered, yawning and resting his back against the nearest tree.

"Why?" the chocolate-eyed girl repeated.

_Because if Kikyo orders me to jump, I ask "how high?"_ his conscience mocked him.

"Someone threatened to kill me unless I retrieved you and they honestly could."

He closed his eyes, the sound of crackling fire lulling him to sleep. He didn't want to sleep though; somehow, he still felt sealed to the Sacred Tree.

Kagome's chocolate hues lingered on his frowning face. He didn't look as frightening as before, sitting close to her, his dog-ears twitching from time to time. He emitted a soft growl and his eyebrows relaxed. Kagome wondered if he was slowly falling asleep. Her eyes traveled from his face to his solid neck, his broad shoulders and his folded arms, his razor-sharp claws…

"Did you touch me?"

The question came up before she had time to think. Darkened golden eyes stared at her confused expression. He never blinked. He didn't answer.

A shiver ran down Kagome's spine and she hugged her upper body, her arms coming to circle her slender waist.

"I mean before," she whispered. "I woke up bloody."

"You hit your head."

"I mean—"

"Yes."

Kagome thought his answer was short and brisk, as if he hoped she would drop the subject. It should have been enough, she figured, but it wasn't. Leaning forward, she didn't expect him to flinch.

"What did you do?"

She _needed_ to know. Whenever short, fat and balding Mukotsu shoved his dirty, calloused hands under her skirt, she was awake and she never ended up bloody. She figured this time it had something to do with the fact that the demon before her had claws but she needed to be sure. She wanted to know why some males did that to her, why she was being dragged to another place and why someone attempted to kill her. Her temporary guardian was taking her to the White Spirit Mountain because he followed orders and he was able to tell her why the witch had been there but surely, he could tell her what he did to her and _why_.

"Something that felt wrong, okay? Now go to sleep," Inuyasha snapped before he closed his eyes.

"Oh."

Realization suddenly hit her. Thinking about it, she had never seen any man—any of the mercenaries with a girl. Mukotsu had been the only one trying to touch her and it _did_ feel wrong. On a couple occasions, she had walked on Jakotsu with unknown men as she cleaned the house so perhaps that was the reason why no one said or did anything when Mukotsu tried to get closer to her. It was a shameful problem, so why address it?

As if he sensed her distress, Inuyasha gruffly added, "Men stake their claim on women all the time, I didn't think I'd do it that way." _I don't even remember._

"What?"

Kagome crawled back. She had drawn the wrong conclusions.

"Claim?" she whispered. "Why? I don't even know your name—what did you do?" she started panicking, regretting the fact that she was the one to ask in the first place. "What did you do?" she repeated loudly, her voice echoing in the woods.

Kagome suddenly got the wind knocked out of her and before she even realized she had been thrown on the ground, falling on her back, amber eyes were staring down at her, Inuyasha's heavy body pressing against hers.

"You will run through the Forest of No Return," he whispered to her, quoting Kikyo's words to him before he went to look for Kagome, "find the brotherhood that won't obey their saints and princes…"

Kagome didn't move, her breath coming in short pants. Inuyasha's hand rested on her left hip, just like the first time he touched her.

"There, you will find the fairest woman in this land with _lips as red as blood and hair as black as night_," he went on, pushing the fireproof robe Kagome was wearing aside. "As long as you stay alive…"

He lapped at her covered nipple and just like the first time, he heard a sharp intake of breath. Her back instantly arched and he ran his clawed hands over her sides, pausing in his ministrations when his pants tightened and Kagome fisted his shirt.

"What—what is—what are you—?"

As she struggled with words, Inuyasha stared down at her reddened face, only moving to settle between her legs and nuzzle the side of her face to breathe in the scent that had been stuck in his head all day. He could hear her heart beat so fast he wondered if it was going to stop all of sudden. Feeling the heat of her core through his pants, he rubbed himself against her once, freezing when she let out a half-cry. _This isn't even all I did,_ he wanted to tell her, refraining himself from doing so when he realized how scared of him she currently was.

Kagome was sobbing against his shoulder—or at least he thought so since she was clearly having trouble breathing, her left leg slightly shaking against his right side. Her right hand quickly traveled down her body to her inner thighs, as if to put some distance between his lower parts and hers. When the back of her hand brushed against him, Inuyasha's eyes rolled back in his head, a groan that sounded pained to Kagome escaping his lips.

Her brown eyes were glued to his parted lips, a fang or two showing. Leaning forward, their breaths mingled and that was all it took for Inuyasha to come back to his senses and let go of her.

"I don't get any of it," she murmured, more to herself than to him.

"Inuyasha," he spoke. "That's my name. Just go to sleep, Kagome."

He stood up, brushing the dirt off his clothes and his eyes darkened when she gave him a wary look.

"Sleep. I'm not going to touch you and no one is going to try to kill you."

The following morning, Kagome woke up alone. Inuyasha was nowhere in sight.

The birds were awfully silent so the only reason why she was able to wake up early was because she had peacefully slept all night. It was surprising, she realized, given the events of the day before. Kagome stretched her arms as she stood, and then quickly followed the sound of water to relieve herself and wash her face before Inuyasha came back. He was to come back.

As she finished her short routine, Kagome couldn't help but feel observed. She tried to convince herself that she was just being paranoid because of what happened to the mercenaries and the witch who tried to take her life but she usually never left home so how could she be sure of anything?

"Inuyasha?" she softly called, hoping that it was only him and that he didn't say anything out of discomfort; she did feel a little self-conscious too after the previous night.

The young woman figured they would need to talk sometime soon because she truly didn't understand what his intentions were.

A feminine, melodic voice interrupted Kagome's thoughts. Not so far from where she was and sitting on a large tree root was a girl with short, black hair. She was combing it, seemingly unaware of Kagome's presence.

Feeling the fairest of all's stare, the girl stopped humming an unknown tune and opened her wide, magenta eyes. "Hello," she spoke.

Kagome blushed, bowing her head. "Sorry."

"You haven't done anything wrong," the girl reassured her. "Care to sit with me? My name is Yura."

The raven-haired woman hesitated. The last person she casually met wasn't exactly trustworthy, to say the least.

"I'm headed to the nearest village, the one at the bottom of the White Spirit Mountain," Yura elaborated. "I just needed a break. Are you also traveling by yourself?"

Kagome merely nodded. She was about to wish the girl a safe journey when Yura stood up and walked towards her.

"What is your name?"

"I'm Kagome. I should get going, though."

The magenta-eyed girl laughed at that. "You know, you are a little rude and your hair is _so_ long and wavy. It's a mess. Let me comb it for you—I own a comb store."

Kagome wasn't quick enough to respond. Yura was right behind her, softly combing the ends of her hair and successfully untangling it. After several minutes of silence, the young woman finally relaxed; obviously the shorthaired girl meant no harm.

"Your hair is beautiful," Yura commented as she finished her job.

"Thank you. I'm sorry—I judge people quickly. I tend to do that a lot lately."

Yura's laugh came in a nasty chuckle. "You weren't raised properly, now, were you?" she asked, tightening her grip around Kagome's mane.

"You're hurting me," Kagome whispered, her heart rate increasing. "Let go, or else—"

"Or else _what_? The half-demon that watched over you while you slept is going to come slay me? You really don't know who is friend or foe, do you?"

Pulling at Kagome's hair, Yura planted the comb she held in her right hand in the pale woman's skull. A shriek resonated through the forest but it seemed to fall on deaf ears as the demon dragged the comb all the way down and left blood trails.

"I lied before," the demon confessed as the young woman she still held by her hair writhed against her, "your hair isn't all that great but I usually comb the hair of the dead so I guess you're fine for a human being that's actually alive."

Kagome tried to get a hold on Yura's hands to stop this torture but the pain was unbearable, as it felt like she was slowly being skinned alive, which was probably going to happen, she concluded. Fat tears rolled down her face as Yura bended her right arm behind her back when she tried to fight the demon.

"Where the fuck are those ugly soul collectors?" she complained loudly.

"They're dead, bitch," a third voice, one Kagome didn't fail to recognize, answered before a deafening cry froze time.

Yura's target fell on her bruised knees but Kagome quickly turned around only to see Inuyasha standing behind the hair demon, his right arm through Yura's chest and his right hand crushing the demon's hand that held the bloodied comb. Yura vanished a couple seconds later, her body turning to dust, and that was when Kagome noticed the bow and arrows slung over Inuyasha's shoulder. So that was why he had been gone.

The half-demon crouched in front of her, worried golden eyes scanning her figure. "Are you going to be alright?"

In that particular moment, Kagome swore the nearby river stopped running because she couldn't hear the sound of it anymore. She opened her mouth to answer when a sob rocked her body and she fell forward, burying her bloodied face into his chest and cried for what she deemed to be a curse.

"I'm stupid," she said and repeated. "Why? What's going on?" she begged him to answer as he clumsily held her petite body.

He wished he knew.

* * *

Dark coffee hues lingered on the sight her magical mirror provided her with and the fallen priestess attempted to smash the mirror on the floor. When it didn't break, she kneeled on her unmade bed and hid her face in her hands.

"_Who's behind you now? Are they big or small?_" she sang to herself, pretending children were forming a circle around her.

"Your Holiness," a voice chimed in.

"Tokajin," Kikyo acknowledged the fat, brownish green-haired human before her, "is there any moment that could have been more inappropriate than now?" she sarcastically asked no one in particular.

"There's no one outside except those dead freaks creating a clay army," Tokajin tried to explain. "What am I here for anyway?"

"I want you to kill somebody. As I expected, the two demons I previously hired got killed because of their sadistic methods. I need a quick death," Kikyo elaborated, lying down on her bed.

The hermit's eyes widened at the sight of the high priestess' dress hiking up her shapely legs. Licking his lips, he boldly asked, "And what would be the reward?"

"You grow a demon fruit tree which devours human souls, don't you? I just need one soul; you can have anyone else's, the villagers' or even the jailed priests'."

"Who is it?"

Red lips curved into a smile and Kikyo's index finger pointed at the mirror on the floor. "Her."

It showed a woman with hair as black as night and lips as red as blood who was bruised and sound asleep in the arms of a golden-eyed half-demon.

* * *

_**Acknowledgements**_

_**chelseatygers, Rochoa, Warm-Amber92, ashangel95, Wenchster, yaya94, iamthewerepire, TheGreatANGSTHATER, SkittlesKitty, Suyurilrig, Amaranta Yuuki, AzianCutieMiyan, EurydicesRevenge, kakkn, Anjellyca25, Bluezelda868 and MadamScorpio.**_

_**You guys are amazing, your reviews keep me going!**_

* * *

**Author's notes:** This chapter borrowed quotes and/or scenes from the anime, as well as from _Little Snow-White_ and _Snow White and the Huntsman_. The song lyrics were taken from the Kagome Kagome children's game.

I'm sorry; this was so delayed. My roommate got beaten up around the time I started working on this chapter (but don't worry, she's alright) so I was unable to write anything related to abuse for a while. I hope you guys are still in the mood for dark fanfictions and that you enjoyed the developments so far. I had a really hard time writing the middle part of this chapter mainly because I was unable to dish everything out in a reasonable amount of time. Anyway, next chapter is going to be oh so dark…

I just wanted to point out something before I let you review. Some people wondered how this could be defined as romance and how this could turn into InuKag since Inuyasha forced himself on Kagome. This story was really intended to be an attempt at psychological thriller but this genre is like, nonexistent on this website so I just picked horror and romance. After this chapter, I hope you guys understand why I still picture this as 'romance', even though it is so in a controversial, mostly deranged way. Let's just keep in mind that mercenaries raised Kagome, in a forest no less, Inuyasha is the black sheep of his family, no one ever wanted to be near to him, both obviously skipped sex ed and they don't know how to interact with the opposite sex. I also had him force himself on Kagome because, honestly, the guy has been sealed for decades, his reawakening overwhelms his senses, and then his demon blood takes over because he is about to die—obviously, the guy cannot think straight and the fairest of all is unconscious, legs bare and all that. This doesn't mean I condone this kind of behavior (duh) but this wasn't supposed to be about conventional love. I'll just use TheGreatANGSTHATER's words to conclude this tirade: beauty can be a curse.


	4. Part Four

**Please note that previous warnings still apply.**

* * *

**The Fairest of All**

**Part IV**

"Honorable priest, it has been nearly two days… Are you sure the information you have is accurate?" a rather doubtful slayer asked the high priest who was riding with her.

Both mounted the slayer's faithful companion Kirara, a cat demon that currently resembled a saber-toothed cat. She had been waiting at the foot of the White Spirit Mountain and away from the fading barrier for Sango to come back and now her two tails swayed in the wind as she hovered over the large forest that High Priest Miroku indicated.

The 'honorable' priest glanced at the slayer's backside before he actually answered the brunette's question.

"Inuyasha is supposed to bring Saint Hijiri's grandniece back. They should be close by now."

"You have been saying that since the sun rose…" Sango briefly glanced at the high priest who was staring into space. "What is it?"

"_Pure has become impure, impure has now become pure,_" the indigo-eyed man recited. "_Good has now become bad, bad has become good. To live is to die, to die is to live._"

Brown eyes stared at him in confusion.

"It's a song villagers living in the White Spirit Mountain's shadow teach their children. I have been thinking for a while now…" Miroku pursed his lips. "Saint Hijiri's odd behavior must have been caused by an evil intervention."

Sango furrowed her brow, her cinnamon eyes scanning the young priest's face. He had taken the time to tell her the things that happened on top of the White Spirit Mountain but he couldn't find a suitable explanation. She would have helped him, had she studied as much as him. All she could do was help him find the young girl he believed was the key to a new era of sanctity.

"How could an evil being get past the barrier?" the slayer wondered. "_Impure has now become pure_, right?"

Miroku nodded, rubbing his chin. "Well, it should get rid of its aura…"

Sango was about to point out that _that_ ought to be impossible when indigo eyes widened in realization, the fleeting memory of a white child invading his mind. What if, as he suspected before, the girl had been a demon? What if High Priestess Tsubaki's gift harbored a curse?

Kirara suddenly hissed.

"Dog smell," Sango stated.

* * *

Inuyasha glared at grey sky as he walked. He knew someone, or at least _something_, was watching him. Kagome and he were so close to the White Spirit Mountain, though; things were supposed to go smoothly. He heard the girl stumble over some fallen leaves behind him and he glanced briefly in her direction. She was rearranging the bow he had given her on her shoulder. He really hoped she knew how to use it because he had the feeling that something was off.

Since the hair demon's attack, they hadn't uttered a single word, he realized. He believed she probably felt confused—she had become a target for some unspoken reason and her savior was the monster who slaughtered her 'family' and did very unholy things to her body without even asking for permission.

Inuyasha's cheeks reddened slightly, glancing at the fairest of all once more. He terribly wanted her. Her waist-length hair, her rosy-red lips, and her pale flesh—everything looked way too amazing.

Lost in his fantasies, he almost missed it; the scent of the man who had accompanied Kikyo the day she unsealed him. The half-demon abruptly stopped and Kagome bumped into him.

"S-sorry…"

"Kagome, you stay here. Fire as many arrows as you can as soon as someone tries to come near you," he commanded in a firm voice. "Hell, scream if you hear unusual sounds."

Clenching her arrows to her chest, she asked, "Why? Where are you going this time?"

"I recognized a smell. It has to be the person who wants you dead."

_This has to be it,_ he convinced himself. _Why would that priest be here? And if he isn't after Kagome, there's still a chance he's able to tell me why the soul collectors Kikyo smelled of tried to steal Kagome's life._

Inuyasha leaped up a tree and disappeared before Kagome could say anything.

* * *

Kagome sat by a tree as she waited for the half-demon to return. The forest was silent, the only sounds that reached her ears being the chirping of a couple birds and the rustling of leaves.

Rubbing her palms against the soft fabric of Inuyasha's robe, Kagome hoped that this frightening chapter of her life was about to end. She was just an orphan, she tried to remind herself, an orphan who only knew how to do housework and who never asked for anything else than being left alone.

She heard something drop nearby and Kagome immediately stood up, reading her weapon the way her father taught her. The truth was that she poorly trained, having always relied on the mercenaries to keep her safe from demons. Her aim was good for short-distance targets and Renkotsu, the priest-turned-mercenary, had once showed her how to temporarily seal evil creatures if she ever had to run away from them and though she trusted his knowledge, she was positive she wasn't skilled enough to replicate his actions.

Chocolate brown eyes quickly darted around, only to find a peach under a fruit tree. Her stomach growled, which reminded her of the fact that she hadn't had anything to eat since the previous night. Inuyasha had offered to hunt rabbits for her but she had refused, unable to get past the episode with Yura.

Shouldering her bow, Kagome was unaware of the fact that a fat, green-haired human was watching her from afar. Tokajin eyed the dead soul insects hovering above his head. They had served as the most unusual transportation ever and he was surprised the dog demon didn't catch their smell. Apparently, he had been focused on something else that came from the skies.

_All the better._ Tokajin's blackish brown eyes glinted at the sight of the fairest lady of the land take a bite of the human-faced fruit she mistook for a peach. Little did she know the fruit was made of _rotten_ human flesh, which turned the fruit of longevity into a lethal poison…

As Kagome bit into the fruit, her mouth watered in disgust. She was about to spit when the strong smell of rotten meat assaulted her nostrils, causing her to inhale and cough right away, the chunk of fruit lodging itself in her throat. Kagome fell to the ground, her left hand tightening around her throat as a burning sensation settled in.

"I-Inu—" she tried to scream, her eyes watering.

Demons tried to kill her and she was about to die because of a rotten peach?

She needed to throw up; however, she couldn't bring her fingers to her mouth, for her body was half-paralyzed. _Poison?_ She wondered, her mind foggy. _This feels oddly like Mukotsu's drug…_ Her reddened eyes glanced down at the arrows she still held in her right hand.

In a swift movement, she stabbed her left side.

_If Inuyasha smells my blood, then maybe…_

She passed out.

Tokajin grinned from his hidden spot, his small eyes wrinkled at the corners focusing on Kagome's frail body. She had fallen forward thus he could perfectly stare at her bare legs and flimsy covered bottom. The memory of Saint Hijiri's lovely legs was still engraved in his mind so the sight before him only fueled his sickest fantasies.

The evil hermit eyed the soul collectors hovering above him, wondering why they weren't moving. He sure wasn't going to wait to have his way with the fair brunette, dead or not.

"Fucking hell," a gruff voice reached his ears, causing him to glance back at his victim.

The half-demon was running—or was he almost flying?—to get to Kagome before it was indeed too late. Tokajin stumbled back as he tried to flee, only to realize that Saint Hijiri's soul collectors were already gone.

_Shit. I'm not dying a stupid death like those demons before me,_ he inwardly told himself as he scurried away.

* * *

"Kagome!" Inuyasha let out the loudest of screams as he gathered the small girl in his arms.

He could hear his heartbeat in his ears and it was causing him deep shivers as panic invaded his body. Her red lips were slowly turning violet. Her eyes had rolled back in her head and he could see the white, as her eyelids were only half-shut. Kagome was dying and it was because he had been chasing a scent that leaded him nowhere.

The priest he thought was somewhere in the deep forest couldn't be seen and by the time Inuyasha realized that, he smell of Kagome's blood reached his nostrils. He was stupid, he kept telling himself; demons were trying to take her away, torture her in every possible way and he kept leaving her side.

Clutching the frail human in his arms, Inuyasha wondered why her lips were violet when she had stabbed herself.

She had stabbed herself and she was suffocating.

Furrowing his brow, Inuyasha's golden-turned-amber eyes darted around. Something was wrong with this picture. His left ear twitched; there was a pulse. His eyes still scanned the area until he found it—the rotten human-faced fruit. Even from afar, his eyes stung because of the stench.

Before he was even able to think twice, Inuyasha balled his right fist and punched Kagome in stomach. Hard. Once. Twice. There was a sharp intake of breath and when her lips parted, he stuck two fingers in her throat.

She vomited. It was mostly bile and a piece of fruit but she threw up and breathed raggedly while he rubbed her back and upper arm. Reaching for the water flask they brought from the beginning, the half-demon helped her sit up and watched in relief as Kagome slowly came back to her senses.

"I-I am not very bright," she admitted, her voice raspy, once she was done drinking.

He shook his head fervently. "I'm an idiot." His jaw was set so tight that his left canine punctured his lower lip. "I'm supposed to keep you alive, I _have _to and I keep screwing up."

"You have to," she repeated softly, a sad smile tainting her expression. "You do keep alive," she stated, her chestnut-colored eyes softening by the second.

_I have to,_ he repeated to himself, only to realize that he had been trying to take this girl to the woman who commanded him to do so, threatened him and was probably behind the assassination attempts. It was the same woman who pinned him to a tree after he confessed his feelings several decades ago.

"No," he tried to reason, cradling the weak human in his arms, "I want to." When she looked at him in confusion, he repeated, "I want to. I want to protect you."

Their gazes locked as he solemnly went on.

"Fuck this shit, Kagome; I know I've been very bad at shielding you from all the crazy around here and even from myself but I—I want to protect you."

Kagome shifted in his arms, her left hand coming to rest on his right shoulder as she nodded, still unsure as to what she was supposed to say to him.

She didn't have time to actually think. His lips sealed over hers.

He brushed them against hers slowly, once, twice, and then parted them to capture her upper lip. Kagome breathed in through her mouth, her lower lip teasing his without her knowing it. Inuyasha's eyes fluttered open, golden eyes scanning the pale face of the girl who was staring at him. That was when he noticed it; her body was stiff.

Inuyasha immediately stopped, fisting in bangs. Could it be possible that she didn't accept him at all? "I don't know how—"

Kagome placed a hand on his shoulder, silencing him right away. Her fingers drummed against his neck, until she wound her arm around it. Her milk chocolate eyes were looking for something she couldn't find in his stare, curiosity marking her features.

Her lips brushed against his again, never closing her eyes, and it didn't take long for Inuyasha to press her soft little body against his. They were soon lying on the damp grass, his kisses turning into bolder promises of protection, loyalty and amends. He was taken aback when he felt Kagome's tongue poking at his. He wasn't sure she was doing it on purpose. Hooking her left leg in the crook of his elbow, his clawed hand rubbed her thigh as he tried to dominate her mouth, until one of his fangs punctured her lips and they parted.

Inuyasha threw her a worried look and slowly let go of her but as soon as she was free, her legs circled his waist, causing him to wonder whether she was aware that she was bleeding. Licking away the blood trails, the half-demon then attacked the column of her throat, lustful fog shutting down his mind. He never knew Kagome was out of hers already.

The human girl was running her trembling hands through his strong and silky locks, half wondering what was the feeling she was experiencing as he lapped at her collarbone and touched every single part of her body—her shoulders, her chest, her ribs, the small of her back—as if to make sure he never forgot it. She wanted to ask him if this was what he did to her when she passed out but then again, would it make a difference? Would she stop him?

_No,_ she realized, turning her head to lick the shell of his fuzzy ear. Who was she to become, if she wasn't his? The Band of Seven was no more and he had proved it to her that he wasn't her executioner. Besides, wasn't this fate—every woman's fate…to be under someone else's protection, leaving it to this someone to make decisions for her? His touch was definitely softer than Mukotsu's and his eyes held a darkness that she was certain she could light up, someday.

Her thoughts vanished the moment Inuyasha removed the fireproof robe she was wearing and tore her skirt just so he could push her legs open.

The half-demon couldn't take his hands off me, let alone quit inhaling her scent as if it alone was oxygen. His sensitive, damp nose nuzzled her skin—from her outer thigh to the swell of her breast, only to capture her swollen lips all over again. Something in her scent changed then and he recognized it; it was the spike he had relished in the first time, though it had reached his nose a little late back then.

The bulge in his pants was visible and Kagome's eyes widened.

"What is that?" she whispered in his ear.

Inuyasha untied his traditional pants, feeling his face heat up the moment he saw Kagome gulp and blush. Pushing against her shoulders, he lined his hips with hers, just like he did the first time. A part of him wasn't exactly confident but she was there, almost naked and breathing like her heart was about to stop. Fisting her wavy locks, he used his other hand to guide his head into her still tight opening. When she started squirming, he nipped at her jaw.

With a solid thrust, he entered her. He groaned loudly. She screamed, burying her face in the crook of his neck. Her inner muscles felt sore but when he moved to shift his hips, she felt something slick pool down her inner thighs and it was coming from her.

"Kagome," Inuyasha groaned again.

Whatever it was, it made him feel good. Something was burning inside of her. Perhaps, it was his hot, hard member, or it was blood. It was itchy. She moved her hips, her eyes shut tight, a new set of sensations flowing through her body the moment she arched her back and felt the half-demon shiver against her.

"Kagome," he gasped, his eyes hidden behind his bangs.

Her chest was painful as her heart threatened to implode. She couldn't utter a single word. It was all whimpers, whines, soft screams that turned into deafening moans the moment Inuyasha pressed his body against her, as if to suffocate her, and his arms held her so close she couldn't have seen a thing even if she could have pushed open the curtain his hair had turned into.

He rocked his body into the junction of her legs, always trying to push in deeper. Her walls were so tight. The more they sucked him in, the harder he found himself thrusting. He could hear Kagome's voice break and he didn't want any of it to ever stop.

"Kagome," he repeated her name against her ear. Her head lolled to the side as tore her apart with his inhuman girth. "I want you to be mine. I don't want to take you anywhere," he breathed out. "I want you to stay by my side." Running the palm of his right hand over her butt cheek, he added, "Forever."

The girl shook in his arms, clawing at his face, unable to tell him to stop or to keep going. His thrusts were harsh, desperate and the itch she wished he would scratch was being ignored. She didn't even know what it was.

Pushing her butt cheeks together, Inuyasha quickened his pace and turned it in an unrelenting stabbing.

"_Ah_—"

"Yes," he let out, stilling their hips as he filled her, his thumbs tracing invisible circles on her skin.

Inuyasha collapsed on top of his lover, resting his head on her chest, the soft noises getting past her lips soothing him. Lazily, he kissed her collarbone, clawed fingers caressing her flushed cheeks. Kagome mimicked his actions, until his forehead pressed against hers and their gazes locked. There were many questions she wanted to ask, though she doubted he had the answers. What would they do? What did it entail, to be his forever? What was it like, to live with a demon?

Kagome never had the time to speak.

"Let go of this young lady this instant, Inuyasha," a masculine voice she didn't recognize ordered.

The half-demon stood up immediately, tying his pants and shielding Kagome as the high priest he had been looking for threatened him with his staff and sutras. He noticed there was a young woman with him—a demon slayer, judging by her black and red uniform and the smell of demon blood emanating from her weapons.

At the sight of a large, menacing cat demon, Kagome rushed to grab her bow and arrows. _Are they the ones trying to kill me?_

"You bastard…" Miroku spat. "What are you trying to do? Impregnate her? Kagome will remain pure—she's Saint Hijiri's successor!"

"You and your fucking saints," Inuyasha growled, his claws elongating. "You're all fucking nuts. You're here to kill her."

"I'm here to save the Kanto region," the indigo-eyed high priest corrected. "I don't know what is on Saint Hijiri's mind—or yours—but I know the greatest of powers lies within the woman who has been purifying the Forest of No Return."

"High Priest Miroku," the slayer suddenly spoke, glancing from Inuyasha to the man she had been accompanying. "This really isn't the time to talk. Let's take the girl."

_Let's take the girl._

Inuyasha felt his blood boil. His heartbeat quickened and he braced himself, trying to ignore the fear that invaded him fast. He suddenly felt as if he were about to die—helpless, weak and outnumbered. It was exactly like the time he hunted down the Band of Seven.

His mind went blank.

* * *

"Damn it, I told you!" Sango roared as she noticed the change in Inuyasha.

Blue with red sclera eyes were glaring at them. Grabbing the handle of her largest weapons, a boomerang made of bones of various demons, Sango was ready to jump on Kirara's back and attack.

"Kagome," Miroku kept talking, "come with us. Please," he begged her, extending an arm, his hand beckoning her. "For the sake of our world, help us out—then you can choose whether you stay with us or not."

"High Priest Miroku," the slayer tried to warn him when Inuyasha growled louder.

"She's not going anywhere."

Kagome shivered, the sadistic tone bringing back the memory of her father trapped under their burning house. A house that ended up burning because of the monster that had just returned.

Kagome bit back a sob, taking a couple steps back when the blue-eyed demon glanced at her and snickered, anticipating the priest's and the slayer's deaths.

"_Then you can choose."_

Quietly, Kagome nocked an arrow before she raised and drew her bow the way Suikotsu and Renkotsu had taught her to. Her aim was bad and she could end up dying along with the two strangers but she wasn't thinking anymore. All she could think of was her adoptive father and she felt disgusted with herself.

She had let Inuyasha touch her when his body was a monster's refuge.

The maddened demon was about to lounge at the slayer when he turned around, eyes widening as a sacred arrow pinned him to the nearest tree.

Miroku gasped, Sango dropped her weapon but Kagome didn't pay attention to them. Tears rolled down her face as she watched Inuyasha come back to his senses, the hurt in his golden eyes directed at her.

"Kagome, how could—I thought…"

Dropping to her knees, the raven-haired beauty ignored the high priest standing beside her as he offered his help.

"We need to go. The seal is going to wear off."

Miroku nodded at the untrained priestess.

* * *

"No!" the loud scream echoed through the dark room.

Kikyo's stare lingered on the Mirror of Kanna, the scene she just finished watching replaying in her head.

"No, no, no!" she shouted at the top of her lungs until her throat felt sore and sobs took over her body.

The high priestess fell to the floor, fisting her hair repeatedly, screaming in pain and frustration, until she pulled out several bloody locks.

"Why, Inuyasha? Why did you choose her?" she cried out, crawling towards her night table to lean on it as she tried to stand, only to clear it, burning candles falling down and starting a fire at the foot of her bed.

Kikyo growled at the sight of it, slamming her hands over the rug that was currently burning in an attempt to put out the fire, never realizing she was burning her hands.

"Stupid… Bitch!" she roared between futile slaps at the growing fire. "Why?" she suddenly exclaimed, running back to her mirror, screaming in horror at her reflection.

She burned her arms.

"No! I'm the fairest!" she told herself, shaking her head.

She brought her hands to her face, sobs consuming her lungs. She rubbed her cheeks and didn't stop even when pain shot through her palms and fingertips. Kikyo clawed at her forehead and eyes, shrieking as her burnt nails easily bended and broke almost instantly.

The fallen priestess slowly came to the realization that she had trouble breathing as she stared at her bloodied body in the mirror. She had pulled out most of her hair and her skin was dark, even smelly. That was when she saw it: a pair of crimson orbs looking back at her.

"N-no—who—"

Her bedroom door was swung open. Terrified gasps escaped her lips as she slid backwards, her dark brown eyes focusing on the person who stepped inside.

Kagome.

"Go away," she commanded. "Get away from me! You've come to kill me, I know it!" Kikyo accused the younger woman, sliding backwards and nearing the marble stairs that led to her bathtub. "You want to poison me—you want my soul," she screamed, her feet kicking in the air.

Her grandniece took a step forward and she jumped, falling backwards and rolling down the stairs until her skull hit the edge of the tub.

As High Priest Miroku and Sango rushed inside to put the fire out, Kagome watched as Saint Hijiri's stared back at the only mirror in the room.

"_Mirror, mirror, on the wall… Who in this land is fairest of all?_" she asked one last time before her breathing stopped.

* * *

_Eight Days Later_

"Honorable Kagome," High Priest Miroku's gentle voice startled her from her thoughts. "The Dog General and his son have arrived," he informed her from the other side of the door.

"Coming."

Kagome glanced at her reflection in the Mirror of Kanna. She was dressed in traditional, white and red priestess robes. After her grandaunt's death, Miroku had thoroughly explained to her who she was and why she was needed on top of the White Spirit Mountain. She had been gifted with powers and though she had yet to become a saint, she should train and help her people out.

The reason why Kagome accepted wasn't related to the well being of the region. She nodded the moment Miroku mentioned the vow of chastity post-Buddhism priests and priestesses took. No one was ever going to touch her again.

A part of her regretted turning her back on Inuyasha but she figured he would have never let her go, no matter how badly she needed answers. Kagome had spent hours—days even, talking to Miroku, telling him everything and asking all kinds of questions. The high priest always tried his best. He told her his opinion and what he knew based on general knowledge.

Kikyo had rejected her when she was a child because something dark was already eating at her soul.

Inuyasha had been violent because he had no control over his demon blood.

The barrier surrounding the mountain was nearly nonexistent and she needed to gain control of her powers because the Supreme Council wasn't strong enough.

At times, Kagome wished she had remained in the forest with the half-demon that had decided to stake a claim on her heart and body.

Kagome stepped inside the main hall to greet the powerful dog demons that were supposedly related to Inuyasha. Kikyo's clay army wasn't even complete when Inu no Taisho ended its existence with a single blow.

Her chocolate brown eyes were glued to the Dog General's familiar face as he set his swords on the floor in order to prove he didn't have any ill intention. He was Inuyasha's carbon copy, minus the ears.

"Usually, people feel way too intimidated to look at my face," the demon pointed out, crossing his arms over his armor-covered chest. "You are related to the woman who though clay soldiers would slow us down," Inu no Taisho stated.

"My grandaunt was mentally ill," Kagome explained.

"It was no illness," the Dog General's son finally spoke, running his fingers through his straight silver hair. "This place reeks of evil spirit. Can't you tell? Humans…"

"Sesshomaru," his father warned. "We have come here to know what Saint Hijiri's successor plans to do about the war. Saint Hijiri was hell bent on purifying all of us. What about you, honorable Kagome?"

The untrained priestess nodded, taking her time to share her point of view. She told both demons that as far as she knew, the war against demons was a spin-off of Great Priestess Midoriko's battle and though her people's current beliefs supported the war, Kagome couldn't agree. They had no army. They had no power. They would die.

"What if your powers turn out to be as legendary as the rumor has it?" Sesshomaru asked when she was done.

"I'll eradicate demons that openly harm my people," Kagome promised, even though she still felt unsure about her abilities.

Inu no Taisho vowed to protect the Kanto region from any invasion. He was about to leave when his firstborn spoke again.

"You do realize that Inuyasha's seal is wearing off, don't you? I suggest you erect another barrier. Inuyasha can be…unreasonable."

There was a hint of humor in Sesshomaru's voice. Kagome swore she saw Inu no Taisho flinch but remained silent as they flew away in their true forms.

* * *

_Eight Months Later_

Kagome began undressing in her private chambers, which she redecorated since she was proclaimed Saint Higurashi, in reference to the fact that she passed the test of Mount Azusa ten sunsets ago. High Priestess Tsubaki granted Kagome the sacred longbow from Mount Azusa, for she believed that Kagome had the power and ability to strike evil spirits bypassing others.

The young woman slipped into her lilac bed jacket, and then applied some rosy balm on her lips as she was used to doing.

"_Who in this land is fairest of all?_" she muttered, recalling Kikyo's last words.

Someone knocked on her door and she assumed Miroku came to remind her that she had to fast the following day.

"Yes?"

Kagome turned around, her eyes falling on a tall man with ink black hair and eyes so dark she couldn't quite figure out the color. He was barefoot, yet he was wearing priest's robes. She immediately grabbed the longbow by her bed and drew it, aiming at the stranger. She stepped back as he came closer in silence, both moving around the room until he spoke.

"Kagome…"

_That voice._ "I-Inuyasha? You are… human…"

"Your barrier purified me all the way," he said, stating the obvious. "Really, you shot me to live in this fucking cage?" he spat, hatred and sorrow filling his eyes. "Runs in the family."

Kagome wasn't listening to him. It felt as if someone else was in the room, watching them. At the moment, she wasn't seeing Inuyasha—a very human Inuyasha. She was alone, in a darkened room, the only source of light being the mirror.

"Why, Kagome?" she heard someone yell.

She shot the arrow.

Inuyasha gasped, both of them falling forward and staring at his chest in utter shock as the arrow disappeared before it could hurt him. There was a sharp shattering sound and the Mirror of Kanna was broken into several pieces. The half-demon-turned-human acted on instinct as he covered Kagome's body with his own, feeling several thick, mirror shards scratch his back.

"_Foolish woman,_" a deep voice resonated through the room, "_it is claimed that the sacred Jewel of Four Souls grows more beautiful when it is tainted with malice._"

Both Inuyasha and Kagome stared at the mirror frame in horror as crimson eyes glared back at them. The brightest of lights shone until another shattering sound filled the room, more shards hitting against the walls, the furniture and Inuyasha's back. Dark violet smoke invaded the room as quickly as it vanished.

Kagome remained in Inuyasha's arms, both of them afraid to speak. When she finally found it in her to look into his eyes, she was relieved to see they no longer held the intensity that came along with hatred. She ran her thumb over his cheekbone, wondering where she stood. She had wanted to see him again but at the same time, Inuyasha was part of a chapter of her life she wanted to forget.

"I'm sorry, I—"

A bright light blinded her as she moved and the black-haired man picked up the shard reflecting candlelight. Inuyasha's jaw almost dropped as he examined the pink object that had been the bane of many generations' existence.

"The sacred Jewel," he stated, earning a gasp from Kagome, who thought the Jewel of Four Souls was merely a legend in the end.

She broke it but it existed and it had remained hidden in the mysterious mirror for… _How long?_

The Jewel of Four Souls was a source of power for humans with dark hearts and demons in general. It made up for the lack of power…

_And for the lack of blood,_ Kagome realized as she recognized the look in Inuyasha's eyes. He wanted that jewel.

She grabbed her longbow but as soon as she disentangled herself from him, he had her pinned to the ground, his free hand tightening around her throat. Kagome let go of her weapon during their staring contest and slowly, he released her, resting his hand on her hip.

"Think I want the shards?" he whispered against her lips, never breaking eye contact.

The fairest of all nodded. In response, he shook his head.

"I recall telling you what I wanted and it wasn't the shards."

"You're lying," Kagome retorted while his lips tickled her jaw.

His arms circled her small waist and Kagome placed both hands on his shoulders, gulping.

"Maybe."

* * *

_**Acknowledgements**_

**Deviiltjee, chelseatygers, Warm-Amber92, LaughterLover98, ashangel9, Wenchster, NekoxUsa, Bluezelda868, TheGreatANGSTHATER, VEENA4 and MadamScorpio.**

_**As always, thank you for your support and constructive criticism!**_

_**I'm dedicating this story to chelseatygers and, folks, make sure you check her stuff out! It's dark and dirty and taboo. Personally, I'm a fan girl.**_

* * *

**Author's notes:** GAH. I can't believe this is finally over. Yes, this is the END and it was meant to have some suspense. In my opinion, there is never an end to a story, unless everyone dies, that is.

I would like to point out something, just because I like rants. I decided to change the romance genre to supernatural because I realized some people might expect fluff and/or conventional love to blossom. No, I don't think victims fall in love with their rapists, I don't condone any form of abuse, this isn't effin' 50 Shades of Crap where abuse leads to a fairy tale ending. It was supposed to be a dark version of Snow White mixed with the Inuyasha storyline, in which Kagome deals with various forms of abuse until she finds a way out, Inuyasha feels so unwanted and out of place he keeps overreacting and Kikyo pushed her feelings aside, pursuing her dreams the wrong way. So the main relationship is InuKag in the sense that it's the one I focused on, yet in my book romance doesn't necessarily mean sanity, rainbows and…yeah.

Anyway, I'm sorry I didn't have time to reply to reviews (I didn't even have time to reread this chapter), I'll make sure to answer any questions from now on!


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